Timeline of Johannesburg

19th century

1886 – Johannesburg township established by Boer government after discovery of gold in vicinity.

1887

The Star newspaper in publication.

St. Mary's Church built.

Johannesburg Stock Exchange founded.

Theatre Royal opens.

1890 – Library opens.

1891

Horse-drawn tram begins operating.

Standard Theatre opens.

1892 – Prison built.

1895 – Railway in operation.

1896

January: Uprising against Boer government.

19 February: Braamfontein Explosion.

1897

Johannesburg Park Station opens.

Johan Zulch de Villiers becomes mayor.

1899 – Fort built.

20th century

1900 – 31 May: Town captured by British forces during the Second Boer War.

1903

Johannesburg Stock Exchange building constructed.

Observatory built near town.

Sophiatown developed.

1904

Johannesburg Zoo and Transvaal Technical Institute established.

April: Brickfields burned.

Population: 99,022.

1905

Town administrative wards created.

Johannesburg Statistics begins publication.

Alexandra developed near Johannesburg.

1906

Electric trams begin operating.

Sunday Times newspaper begins publication.

1908 – Population: 180,687.

1922

University of the Witwatersrand incorporated.

January–March: Miner's strike.

1925 – Technikon Witwatersrand established.

1927 - Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra founded.

1928 – Johannesburg gains city status.

1929 - South African Institute of Race Relations headquartered in city.

1931 – Airport opens in Germiston.

1935 – Johannesburg City Library building opens.

1936 -

September 15: The Empire Exhibition World's Fair opens

1948 - Polly Street Centre founded.

1951 - Drum magazine begins publication.

1952 – Jan Smuts Airport established in Kempton Park.

1957 – 1957 Alexandra Bus Boycott.

1960 – Johannesburg Planetarium opens.

1961 – City becomes part of the Republic of South Africa.

1962 – Sentech Tower built.

1964 – Johannesburg Botanical Garden established.

1966 – Rand Afrikaans University founded.

1969 – Hyde Park Corner (shopping centre) in business.

1970 – Tollman Towers and Trust Bank Building constructed.

1971 – Hillbrow Tower built.

1973 – Marble Towers, Carlton Centre, and Sandton City shopping centre built.

1974 – Beeld newspaper begins publication.

1975 – Ponte City Apartments built.

1976

16 June: Soweto uprising.

Market Theatre opens.

1978 - Staffrider literary magazine begins publication.

1980

Municipal workers' strike.

Federated Union of Black Artists Academy established.

1981 – The Sowetan newspaper begins publication.

1982

City Press newspaper begins publication.

Afrapix active.

1984 – 11 Diagonal Street built.

1985

Weekly Mail newspaper begins publication.

Mormon Temple dedicated.

Population: 1,773,000 (urban agglomeration).

1987 - Water Institute of Southern Africa headquartered in city.

1989

Soccer City stadium opens.

Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation established.

1990 - Population: 1,898,000 (urban agglomeration).

1992

Johannesburg Stadium opens.

Centre for Policy Studies headquartered in Johannesburg.

1994

28 March: Shooting at Shell House.

City becomes seat of Gauteng province.

South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance established.

1995

Gallagher Convention Centre opens.

Centre for Development and Enterprise headquartered in Johannesburg.

Johannesburg Biennale art exhibit begins.

1996 – Population: 752,349.

1997

MTN Sundrome opens.

Flag of Johannesburg revised design adopted.

1999 – September: 1999 All-Africa Games held.

21st century

2000

City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Johannesburg City Parks created.

Stoned Cherrie in business.

Population: 2,732,000 (urban agglomeration).

2001

Amos Masondo becomes mayor.

Monash University, South Africa campus established.

Population: 3,226,055.

2002

Soweto becomes part of city.

City hosts Earth Summit 2002.

2003 – Nelson Mandela Bridge built.

2004 – Constitutional Court of South Africa building opens in Constitution Hill.

2005

University of Johannesburg established.

2 July: Live 8 concert.

Population: 3,272,000 (urban agglomeration).

2008

Joburg Art Fair begins.

Google office in business.

Species Australopithecus sediba discovered near Johannesburg.

2010 – 11 July: 2010 FIFA World Cup Final held.

2011

Parks Tau becomes mayor.

Air pollution in Johannesburg reaches annual mean of 41 PM2.5 and 85 PM10, more than recommended.

Population: 4,434,827.

2013 – 5 December: Nelson Mandela dies in Johannesburg.

2015 – October: #FeesMustFall protest.

2016 – 22 August: Herman Mashaba becomes mayor

2016 – October: #FeesMustFall protest (again!).