Here’s a look at what happened On this day, January 2, throughout world and South African history. We remember the news, events and people that influenced the course of history forever.
ON THIS DAY: JANUARY 02
1968 | Renowned surgeon, Dr. Chris Barnard, performed a second heart transplant operation at Groote Schuur Hospital one month after his first transplant.
2005 | Six South African survivors of the tsunami in Thailand arrived at Lanseria airport on a rescue flight from Bangkok.
2004 | Stardust successfully flew past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples that were returned to Earth.
1991 | Sharon Pratt Kelly was the first African-American female mayor of a major city and the first female mayor of the District of Columbia.
1981 | One of the biggest investigations by the British police force ended when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the “Yorkshire Ripper”, was arrested in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
READ ALSO: What happened on January 1?
BIRTHDAY
1950 | South African artist, Richard Mzamane Mabaso.
1967 | Retired Springbok rugby captain Franscois Pienaar.
1975 | New Zealand rugby union player Reuben Thorne.
1963 | American baseball player Edgar Martinez.
1949 | American playwright and screenwriter, Christopher Durang.
ON THIS DAY: DEATHS
2001 | US lieutenant, lawyer and politician, 55th US Secretary of State, William P. Rogers, 88.
2017 | English art critic, novelist and painter, John Berger, 91.
2000 | English author and translator, Patrick O’Brian, 86.
2000 | US Admiral, Elmo Zumwalt,80.
1985 | Educator and first black president of the University of the North, Moses Josiah Madiba, 76.
SPORTS
1992 | On this day, Australian cricket legend Shane Warne made his Test debut in the match against India.
ENTERTAINMENT
1843 | The iconic opera by German composer Richard Wagner, “The Flying Dutchman,” premiered in Dresden on this day for the first time.
MADE FROM AFRICA
Deer can be found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in dense and humid forested areas.
