On this day — March 28 in African history
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
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1994 African National Congress guards opened fire on Inkatha Freedom Party supporters marching on the party's Shell House headquarters in Johannesburg, killing nineteen. Fifty-three people died across the city that day. The Nugent commission found the shooting unjustified, Nelson Mandela said in 1995 that he had given the order to defend the building even if people had to be killed, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission granted amnesty to eleven of those involved.
Sources: South African History Online ; Daily Maverick
Politics
RTNB (Burundi National Radio and Television) — CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons 1953 Melchior Ndadaye, who became Burundi's first democratically elected and first Hutu president, was born.
Birth
روز اليوسف — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1934 Mahmoud Mokhtar, sculptor regarded as the founder of modern Egyptian sculpture, died.
Death
E.Carletti. Upload, stitch and restoration by Jebulon — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1840 Emin Pasha, German-born physician and explorer who served as governor of Equatoria in Egyptian Sudan, was born.
Birth
Algeria Press Service — CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons 2026 Liamine Zéroual, Algerian general who served as President of Algeria during the country's civil war, died.
Death
Rob Croes / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, Wikimedia Commons 1960 ANC leader Oliver Tambo left South Africa illegally on ANC instructions, crossing into the Bechuanaland Protectorate days after the Sharpeville massacre to build the movement's external mission.
Sources: UK Parliament (Historic Hansard) ; South African History Online
Politics