1688, 13 April
The first contingent of French Huguenots arrive at the Cape aboard the Voorshoten.
1846, 13 April – Frontier Wars: War of the Axe
British forces at Burn's Hill, Amatola, are attacked by the Xhosa.
1868, 13 April
Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia (also known as Thodore II) commits suicide as British troops under the command of Field Marshal Robert Napier storm the citadel at Magdala.
1950, 13 April
Arab League signs a mutual defence treaty in Cairo.
1964, 13 April
Ian Douglas Smith is named prime minister of Rhodesia by the 'white supremacist' Rhodesian Front party.
1968, 13 April
Biafra, a Nigerian province that has recently declared independence, is recognised by Tanzania - the first nation to recognise its claimed new status.
1975, 13 April
President François N'Garta Tombalbaye of Chad is killed during a military coup. After two days under interim head of state Noël Milarew Odingar, Félix Malloum N'Gakoutou takes power as Chairman of the Higher Military Council.
1979, 13 April
Idi Amin Dada is deposed as president of Uganda after Ugandan exiles, backed by the Tanzanian army, seizes the capital Kampala. Yusufu Kironde Lule of the Uganda National Liberation Front, UNLF, is declared the new president (prior to national elections). Idi Amin is said to be seeking exile in Saudi Arabia.
1979, 13 April
An attempt is made to kill Zambian guerrilla leader Joshua Nkomo by Rhodesian forces.
1985, 13 April
Eighty thousand blacks attend a mass funeral in Kwanobushle township for the 28 people killed by police in Langa on 21 March. (The events at Langa occurred a few hours after a similar demonstration at Sharpeville.)
2002, 13 April
The 1,000 km border between Ethiopia and Eritrea is fixed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, The Hague, potentially ending the war between the two nations.
