1654, 15 April
Jan van Riebeeck is made commander at the Cape with a salary of 90 Dutch Guilders. (He had asked for 150!)
1854, 15 April
The official language of the Orange Free State is recognized as being Dutch.
1936, 15 April
Italian forces occupy Abyssinian town of Dessye, having advanced 125 miles in the last five days.
1953, 15 April
The National Party are returned to power with a clear majority: 94 seats out of 150.
1954, 15 April
The Riotous Assemblies and Suppression of Communism Amendment Act No 15 of 1954 commences, giving the Minister of Justice the power to ban without recourse people from being members of organizations and attending their meetings, as well as the power to ban publications which might "incite hostility between groups".
1966, 15 April
Apolo Milton Obote of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) is declared president of Uganda as a new constitution is initiated.
1974, 15 April
President Hamani Diori of Niger, who had lead Niger since independence) is deposed in a military coup. He is replaced by the Chairman of the Supreme Military Council, Seyni Kountché.
1982, 15 April
Five people found guilty of Anwar Sadat's assassination are executed.
1986, 15 April
US attempts an air strike at Colonel Muammar Kadhaffi's home in Libya.
1991, 15 April
EC lifts sanction previously imposed on South Africa (1985) as goodwill gesture for promised improvements to multi-racial society.
1991, 15 April
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe brokers a joint conference between the ANC and PAC in Harare.
1992, 15 April
Air embargo is imposed on Libya by US.
1996, 15 April
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa holds its first formal hearings in East London, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the chairman.
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