South Africa Highlights
A Brief Overview of Key Moments in South Africa
1921
Birth of the SA Red Cross
The South African Red Cross Society was established and admitted into the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 1929.
1948
Apartheid
The policy of apartheid was adopted. Apartheid called for a separate development of different racial groups in South Africa.
1987
Detention visits
ICRC delegates began visiting prisoners convicted of security offences. The first visit was conducted to the late Robert Sobukwe.
1964
Nelson Mandela imprisoned
The late former President, Nelson Mandela, was sentenced to life imprisonment in what became known as the Rivonia Trial. Mr Mandela was visited several times by ICRC staff during his 27 years in prison.
1987
Prison visits suspended from 1987 - 1991
In 1987, the ICRC suspended its visits to detainees until access was allowed to all convicted detainees in relation to the security situation and unrest. During the suspension, the ICRC still provided the families of detainees with food vouchers and sent recreational items to various prisons, particularly to Robben Island, where a large consignment of sporting equipment was delivered.
1994
The dawn of democracy
The African National Congress wins first democratic elections with Nelson Mandela becoming President.
2016
Missing and Deceased Migrants
The ICRC launches the Missing and Deceased Migrants Pilot Project. Working with South African and Zimbabwean authorities to complement existing systems, tools and resources that are used to locate missing migrants – whether they are living or deceased. This also led to the creation of an identification team at the Johannesburg Forensic Pathology Services in South Africa where 24 forensic practitioners were trained in the examination and collection of unique identifiers. Over 100 identification examinations were performed which resulted in 38 confirmed identities.
2017
Nuclear Weapons
The Government of South Africa signed the Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons on 20 September 2017, the very day that it opened for signature at the United Nations in New York. The Government then proceeded to ratify the Treaty on 25 February 2019, making it only the second African State to do so, after The Gambia. In the early 1990s, South Africa was the first country in the world to voluntarily disband its nuclear weapons programme.
2019
Trace the Face southern Africa
The ICRC launched Trace the Face southern Africa, a website helping migrants searching for missing relatives to reconnect with their families.
