January
21 – 435 miners died in what is known as the worst mine disaster in South Africa at the Clydesdale Colliery, Coalbrook Mine near Sasolburg
February
3 – Harold Macmillan makes the Wind of Change speech to the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town.
March
21 – Police shoot and kill an estimated 69 people who were part of a violent demonstration against pass laws arranged by the Pan-Africanist Congress in Sharpeville.
22 – Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd tells Parliament that the Anti-Pass Resistance in Sharpeville, Gauteng was not targeted against the government.
23 – Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, leader of the Pan Africanist Congress who led the Sharpeville demonstration, Albert Lutuli and 11 others are arrested for incitement of riots.
24 – All public meetings of more than 12 people are banned.
30 – The government declares a State of Emergency.
April
8 – The government bans the African National Congress and the Pan Africanist Congress with the coming into effect of the Unlawful Organisations Act.
9 – David Pratt shoots and wounds Hendrik Verwoerd, the Prime Minister of South Africa, while he opens the Rand Easter Show at Milner Park, Johannesburg.
19 – The South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) is founded in Windhoek, South West Africa, to oppose South African rule.
May
4 – Robert Sobukwe, President of the Pan Africanist Congress, is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for incitement of black Africans to urge the repeal of pass laws.
July
15 – The first Boeing 707 arrives in South Africa
October
5 – The white population votes in a referendum to sever South Africa's last links with the British monarchy and become a republic.
November
14 – Serial Killer Elias Xitavhudzi is hung following the murders of 16 white men and women in Atteridgeville in the 1950s.
16 July – PJ Powers, musician, is born in Durban.
24 August – Geraldine Joslyn Fraser-Moleketi, politician.
13 September 1960 – Kevin Carter, photojournalist, born in Johannesburg
16 October – Mark Mathabane, author and tennis player, is born in Johannesburg.
1960 in South Africa Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
