On This Day in South Africa: What happened on 7 September?

Look at what happened on this day 7 September in history. From various achievements and milestones throughout human history to groundbreaking inventions and events that shaped the world we live in today.

Here is a look at some of the most notable events that happened on this day

ON THIS DAY: 7 SEPTEMBER

1986 | The FPMR attempted to kill Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, but he survived.

1999 | A 6.0 Mw earthquake in Athens struck the region with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), killing 143 people, wounding 800-1 600 others, and displacing 50 000 people.

2004 | The Socialist Party of Azania (SOPA), the Black People’s Convention (BPC), and the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO) announced a merger agreement

2008 | The US government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two biggest mortgage finance firms in the country.

2021 | El Salvador approved Bitcoin as legal tender.

ALSO READ: What happened on 5 September?

BIRTHDAYS

1951 | South African racing driver, Rad Dougall.

1985 | Indian actress, Radhika Apte.

1961 | French pianist, Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

1983 | English-American basketball player, Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

1990 | South African actress, Fulu Mugovhani

DEATHS

2000 | Australian-English broadcaster, Bruce Gyngell, 71.

2003 | American singer-songwriter, Warren Zevon, 56.

2008 | Dutch minister and theologian, Kune Biezeveld, 60.

2010 | German-American businessman, John Kluge, 96.

2013 | American cartoonist, Pete Hoffman, 94.

SPORTS

In a 2002 Euro qualifying match, Scotland came from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with the powerful Faroe Islands.

ENTERTAINMENT

2010 | On this day, an English indie rock band “The xx” takes home the 2010 Mercury Prize.

AFRICA FACT

The only African musician, Burna Boy, currently holds more than 1 billion streams across Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Audiomack, and Boomplay.