1916, 12 January
Birth of South African leader (1978-1989) Pieter Wilhelm Botha. Botha replaced B J Vorster as prime minister and became South Africa's executive president.
1964, 12 January
Abeid Karume, leader of the Zanzabari Afro-Shrazi Party, seizes power from the Arab dominated Zanzibar National Party and proclaims a peoples republic.
1970, 12 January
After 30 months of fighting, Biafra capitulates to Nigeria.
