Timeline of Johannesburg

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Johannesburg, in the Gauteng province in South Africa.

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.
 * 1888 – St Mary's School was founded.
 * 1890
 * Library opens.
 * Jeppe High School for Boys was founded.
 * 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 the first mayor.
 * 1898 – St John's College was founded.
 * 1899 – Fort built.
 * 1900 – 31 May: Town captured by British forces during the Second Boer War.

1900s-1950s

 * 1902
 * King Edward VII School was founded.
 * St. Andrew's School for Girls was founded.
 * 1903
 * Johannesburg Stock Exchange building constructed.
 * Observatory built near town.
 * Sophiatown developed.
 * Roedean School for Girls was founded.
 * 1904
 * Johannesburg Zoo and Transvaal Technical Institute established.
 * April: Brickfields burned.
 * Drill Hall built.
 * 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.
 * Meeting of the Municipal Associations of South Africa held in Johannesburg.
 * 1907 – Redhill School was founded.
 * 1908 – Population: 180,687.
 * 1919 – Jeppe High School for Girls was founded.
 * 1920 – Parktown Boys' High School was founded.
 * 1921 – Helpmekaar Kollege was founded.
 * 1922
 * University of the Witwatersrand incorporated.
 * January–March: Miner's strike.
 * 1923 – Parktown High School for Girls was founded.
 * 1925 – Technikon Witwatersrand established.
 * 1927 – Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra founded.
 * 1928
 * Johannesburg gains city status.
 * Ellis Park Stadium was opened.
 * 1929 – South African Institute of Race Relations headquartered in city.
 * 1931 – Airport opens in Germiston.
 * 1933 – Kingsmead College was founded.
 * 1935 – Johannesburg City Library building opens.
 * 1936 – 15 September: The Empire Exhibition, South Africa World's Fair opens
 * 1937 – 15 January: The Empire Exhibition, South Africa closes.
 * 1941 – St David's Marist, Inanda was founded.
 * 1942 – Fighting Talk begins publication.
 * 1944 – Hoërskool Florida was founded.
 * 1946 – Population: 603,470 city; 762,910 urban agglomeration.
 * 1948 – Polly Street Centre founded.
 * 1950 – Springbok Radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1951
 * Drum magazine begins publication.
 * Population: 631,911 city; 884,007 urban agglomeration.
 * Waverley High School for Girls was founded.
 * 1952 – Jan Smuts Airport established in Kempton Park.
 * 1953 – St Stithians College was founded.
 * 1956
 * December: Treason Trial begins.
 * Purple Renoster literary magazine begins publication.
 * 1957 – 1957 Alexandra Bus Boycott.
 * 1958 – St Benedict's College was founded.

1960s-1990s

 * 1960
 * 21 March: Sharpeville massacre.
 * Johannesburg Planetarium opens.
 * 1961
 * City becomes part of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Greenside High School was founded.
 * 1962 – Sentech Tower built.
 * 1963
 * 11 July: The arrest of Umkhonto we Sizwe high commanders known as Rivonia Trialist.
 * 11 August: Four of the defendants who had been arrested on July 11, at the Liliesleaf Farm near Johannesburg, were able to escape their South African jail after a bribe was promised to their guard by the ANC.
 * Classic magazine begins publication.
 * 1964
 * July: The arrest of Umkhonto we Sizwe high commanders known as Little Rivonia Trialist.
 * Johannesburg Botanical Garden established.
 * 1966 – Rand Afrikaans University founded.
 * 1968 – Bryanston High School was founded.
 * 1969
 * Hyde Park Corner (shopping centre) in business.
 * Northcliff High School was founded.
 * 1970
 * Tollman Towers and Trust Bank Building constructed.
 * Population: 654,682 city; 1,432,643 urban agglomeration.
 * 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
 * 3 September: Sharpeville Six
 * 11 Diagonal Street built.
 * 1985
 * Weekly Mail newspaper begins publication.
 * Mormon Temple dedicated.
 * Population: 632,369 city; 1,609,408 urban agglomeration.
 * 1987 – Water Institute of Southern Africa headquartered in city.
 * 1988 – 31 August: Bombing of Khotso House.
 * 1989
 * Soccer City stadium opens.
 * Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation established.
 * 1991 – Population: 712,507 city; 1,916,061 metro.
 * 1992
 * Johannesburg Stadium opens.
 * Centre for Policy Studies headquartered in Johannesburg.
 * 1994
 * 28 March: Shooting at Shell House.
 * City becomes seat of the new 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
 * 3 February: 1996 Africa Cup of Nations Final football contest played in Johannesburg.
 * Population: 752,349 city.
 * 1997
 * MTN Sundrome opens.
 * Flag of Johannesburg revised design adopted.
 * 1998 – Website Joburg.org.za launched.
 * 1998 – St Peter's College was founded.
 * 1999 – September: 1999 All-Africa Games held in city.
 * 2000
 * City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Johannesburg City Parks created.
 * Stoned Cherrie in business.
 * Population: 2,732,000 (urban agglomeration).

2000s

 * 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.
 * Drill Hall rebuilt.
 * Creative Commons South Africa headquartered at University of the Witwatersrand.
 * 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.
 * 2009
 * 28 June: 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final football contest played in Johannesburg.

2010s

 * 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
 * 10 February: 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final football contest played in Johannesburg.
 * 5 December: Nelson Mandela dies in Johannesburg.
 * 2015 – October: #FeesMustFall protest.
 * 2016 – 22 August: Herman Mashaba becomes mayor
 * 2016 – Mduduzi Edmund Tshabalala died in Johannesburg
 * 2016 – October: #FeesMustFall protest revival.
 * 2018 – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela died in Johannesburg.
 * 2018 – International 10th BRICS summit held at Sandton Convention Centre.
 * 2018 – 24 October: Jabulani Tsambo died in Johannesburg

2020s

 * 2021
 * 9 July 2021: Geoff Makhubo dies.
 * 10 August 2021: Jolidee Matongo becomes mayor.
 * 18 September 2021: Jolidee Matongo dies from a car accident


 * 2023
 * 19 July 2023: Gas explosion destroys road in downtown.

Published in 20th century

 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.
 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.
 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.
 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.
 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.
 * Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.

Published in 21st century

 * 2000s
 * + website
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * + website
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)
 * (about Cape Town, Johannesburg, Libreville, Lomé)


 * 2010s