The widest interstate war in modern African history, it directly involved nine African nations, as well as about twenty armed groups, and earned the epithet of " Africa's World War " and the " Great War of Africa.

This region is the birthplace of many notable figures in South Africa's history, such as Pixley ka Isaka Seme ( founder of the African National Congress and the first Black lawyer in South Africa ), John Langalibalele Dube ( founding president of the ANC ), Mangosuthu Buthelezi ( founder of the IFP ), Chief Albert Luthuli ( ANC president and the first African to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ), Anton Lembede ( founding president of the ANC Youth League ), Jacob Zuma ( current President of South Africa ), and Bhambatha.

His legacy remains controversial, with some hailing him as a national and African hero, while others denounce him as a tyrant and one of the most corrupt leaders in Africa's entire history.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, headed by the sweet soprano of Joseph Shabalala, arose in the 1960s, and became perhaps the biggest isicathamiya stars in South Africa's history.

Sharpeville marked a turning point in South Africa's history ; the country found itself increasingly isolated in the international community.

South Africa's unique social and political history has generated a rich variety of literatures, with themes spanning precolonial life, the days of apartheid, and the lives of people in the " new South Africa ".

The Springboks then defeated the All Blacks 15 – 12 in the final, which is now remembered as one of the greatest moments in South Africa's sporting history, and a watershed moment in the post-Apartheid nation-building process.

The date was a significant one in Afrikaner history, as it heralded the anniversary of a number of historical events — the 1902 Treaty of Vereeniging, which ended the Anglo-Boer War ; South Africa's becoming a union in 1910 ; and the first hoisting of the Union flag in 1928.

At the time of his death, he was the longest-serving leader in Africa's history and the third longest-serving leader in the world, after Fidel Castro of Cuba and Kim Il-sung of North Korea.

It was the first occasion in apartheid South Africa's history where the principles of peaceful transition and equality had been enshrined in a document which had been jointly signed by acknowledged black and white political leaders in South Africa.

On 10 May 1994 the Inauguration of former President Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president, and his Vice-Presidents, after the country's first free elections, heralded the beginning of a new era in South Africa's history.

The turreted Palace of Justice was the scene of arguably the most famous political trial in South Africa's history, the Rivonia Trial.

* November 15-Jimmy Carruthers becomes Australia's first world boxing champion in history, by knocking out South Africa's first, Vic Toweel, in the first round to gain the world Bantamweight title, Johannesburg, South Africa.

* Extremes: Survival in the Great Deserts of the Southern Hemisphere: explored some of the world's great southern deserts, tracing the history, culture and commonalities of Southern Africa's Namib and Kalahari deserts, South America's Atacama, and Australia's Red Centre ( December 2004-August 2005 )

In 2010 South Africa's Chris Bertish took first place ; winning the largest prize purse in history of surfing of US $ 150 000, sponsored by Moose Guen, Jane Sunderland and Barracuda Networks.

Later films were not the source of such controversy, they include The White Tribe of Africa ( 1979 ), an award-winning four-part history of South Africa's Afrikaans community and the rise of apartheid, An Ocean Apart ( 1988 ), an examination of the history of Anglo-American relations, and Rebellion!

The most crucial hit-wicket dismissal in Test history was arguably that of Graeme Smith at Trent Bridge in 2003: Smith had made 277 ( South Africa's second highest ever Test innings ) and 85 from 70 balls at Edgbaston, and 259 at Lord's, as South Africa dominated the first two Tests of the series.

Under his guidance the Springboks played 23 tests, winning 17 ( 73 %), an achievement that makes him one of South Africa's greatest coaches in history.

South Africa's Jacques Kallis becomes the second player in history to score a century in five successive Tests in Hamilton, New Zealand.

It mentioned-" South Africa's pace attack had more depth than at any other time in their history: Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock supported by Fanie de Villiers and Lance Klusener.

Notable performances that reflect this mandate include the Last Empress with its dramatic, musical portrayal of an important figure in Korean history, the Virsky Ukrainian Dance Company, South Africa's Soweto Gospel Choir, Shaolin Warriors, Ricky Cheng, David Rudder & Friends and Club Tropicana.

He had a formidable role in South Africa's Afrikaans literature and cultural history, and was one of the young language's foremost promoters.

In Africa, the New Partnership for Africa's Development ( NEPAD ) has launched an " e-school program " to provide all 600, 000 primary and high schools with computer equipment, learning materials and internet access within 10 years.

With the addition of Sierra Leone, Africa's first floorball nation, the IFF has at least one national association on each continent of the world, with the exception of Antarctica.

Paul Oliver has drawn attention to similarities in instruments, music and social function to the griots of Africa's western Sudanic belt.

The Kalahari has a number of game reserves — Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa's largest private game reserve, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve ( the world's second largest protected area ), Khutse Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

The estuary is one of the few good harbours on West Africa's surf-pounded " Windward Shore " ( Liberia to Senegal ), and also has a good watering spot ; it soon became a favourite destination of European mariners.

Since the end of apartheid in the 1990s the African National Congress ( ANC ) has dominated South Africa's politics.

Despite friction between the African National Congress and Biko throughout the 1970s the ANC has included Biko in the pantheon of struggle heroes, going as far as using his image for campaign posters in South Africa's first non-racial elections in 1994.

Maasailand has East Africa's finest game areas.

Tanzania has a varied geography, including deep and large freshwater and salt lakes, many national parks, and Africa's highest point, Mount Kilimanjaro ().

He headed the formation of both the New Partnership for Africa's Development ( NEPAD ) and the African Union ( AU ) and has played influential roles in brokering peace deals in Rwanda, Burundi, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Africa's share of the cotton trade has doubled since 1980.

A rare " Strawberry " leopard has been confirmed to exist at South Africa's Madikwe Game Reserve.

It has been known to exist in Zimbabwe, Botswana and in the northern part of South Africa's Transvaal province.

During the 1960s, prior to the relaxation of South Africa's gambling laws, the casinos were popular attractions among South African visitors, but the interest in them has since waned.

Africa's easternmost country, Somalia has a land area of 637, 540 square kilometers.

Since the end of apartheid, South Africa's new government has been cold towards Israel and critical of Israel's policies towards Palestinians, but ignored calls from pro-Palestinian civil South African groups to sever relations between the two countries.

She has used her intellect and savvy to get where she is today, at the helm of South Africa's fictional top communications company, Ezweni, which she runs with her brother and founder Karabo Moroka.

Rugby test matches hold a significant place in the sports calendar of Australia, and has even at times become highly politicised ; during the 1970s, in a significant move against South Africa's apartheid regime, many Australians ( including Wallabies ) demonstrated against tours by the racially selected South African team.

It has been argued that infrastructure investments contributed to more than half of Africa's improved growth performance between 1990 and 2005, and increased investment is necessary to maintain growth and tackle poverty.

The divide between South Africa's independent social movements and many leftist and vanguard organisations in South Africa has become a point of contention.

Most of the Afrotropic, with the exception of Africa's southern tip, has a tropical climate.

The airport has direct flights from South Africa's other two main urban areas, Johannesburg and Durban, as well as flights to smaller centres in South Africa.

Pressure on pasture land has increased due to construction of large storage dams in these mountains to provide water to South Africa's arid industrial heartland.

Sappi is also involved in wildlife conservation measures, such as its involvement in the Sappi WWF TreeRoutes Partnership which has set up community based ecotourism venues such as the new Karkloof Conservation Center which helps protect all three of South Africa's crane species.