2000 in South Africa

[edit] Events

[edit] February

• Tropical Cyclone Eline brings heavy rains to Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Madagascar
• The Mozambican navy begins evacuating people from low ground using rubber boats donated from last year's floods.
• 5 February - The first wave of floods hit Mozambique
• 9 February - The South African Air Force airlifts foreign tourists cut off by floodwaters in the Kruger National Park.
• 11 February - Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland is left without drinking water due to flooding.

- The swollen Limpopo River bursts its banks

- Southern Botswana receives 75% of its average annual rainfall in three days

- United Nations officials say the lives of 150,000 people are in immediate danger from lack of food and disease.

• 22 February - The full force of tropical Cyclone Eline hits the Mozambique coast near Beira - just north of the areas already devastated by the first wave of floods. Winds measure 260km/h (160 mph).

- The South African air force sends in 5 helicopters to aid to people trapped by floods.

• 24 February - The United Nation says $13 million is needed for urgent relief supplies

- Mozambique calls for international help and asks for more than $65 million to help rebuild the country's roads, bridges and power supplies.

• 27 February - Zimbabwe opens the sluice gates of Kariba Dam

- A wall of water about 2 meters (6 ft) high hit Chokwe and inundate low farmlands around Chokwe and Xai-Xai in Mozambique.

[edit] March

• 1 March - The first United States Air Force C-17 transport aircraft lands in Maputo

- Britain states that it will send in food, medicine, equipment, 77 rubber boats and three HC-1 Puma helicopters to help the South African helicopters

- The South African Air Force sends 3 more helicopters to Mozambique

• 2 March - Cyclone Gloria hits Mozambique

- Aidworkers in Mozambique estimate 100,000 people need to be evacuated and around 7,000 are trapped in trees. Many have been there for several days, without food and water.

- Floodwater levels are said to have risen from 4 to 5 metres (more than 26 feet) in five days.

• March 5 – Johannes Maremane wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:11:15 in Pinelands.
• 15 March - The South African rescue workers end its operation in Mozambigue
• 28 March - The Zambezi River is still between 2,5 metres and 3 metres above flood level

- Cahora Bassa reduces water discharges

[edit] April

• Nicky Boje, Hansie Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs, Pieter Strydom and Henry Williams are accused along with a number of other international cricket players and Indian bookmakers by the New Delhi police of cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy in alleged match fixing
• 15 April - South African Air Force Museum's Supermarine Spitfire MkIX "5553" is destroyed in an emergency landing at AFB Swartkop during an airshow. Pilot Lt Col Neil Thomas survived with minor injuries

[edit] May

• 19 May - Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, is awarded a honorary doctorate of laws from the Glasgow Caledonian University

[edit] July

• 9 - 14 July - The 13th International AIDS conference is held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, the first ever to be held in a developing country

[edit] August

• 21 August - An South African Air Force MB-326K Impala II crashes during a routine night training flight. The pilot Lt. Dian Smit is killed
• 22 August - Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, is voted Newsmaker of the Year by the Pretoria Press Club

[edit] September

• 27 September - South Africa and India sign a memorandum of understanding on defence co-operation

[edit] November

• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex visit South Africa
• 10 November - A memorandum of understanding is signed for the creation of the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park
• 27 November - A South African Air Force Atlas Cheetah C crashes on finals to AFB Makhado killing Capt. Piet Koster

[edit] Unknown date

• The Democratic Party joins with the New National Party into an alliance, the Democratic Alliance.

[edit] Deaths

• 20 June - Mary Benson, activist and author, dies at the age of 80

[edit] See also

• 1999 in South Africa
• 2000 in South African sport
• 2001 in South Africa
• Timeline of South African history