Here’s a look at what happened On this day, November 16, throughout world and South African history. We remember the news, events and people that influenced the course of history forever.
ON THIS DAY: NOVEMBER 16
1989 | President FW de Klerk announced that South Africa’s beaches would be open to people of all ethnicities.
2005 | Truman Prince, the controversial African National Congress (ANC) administrator of the Central Karoo District Municipality, has been suspended.
1997 | After nearly 18 years in prison, the People’s Republic of China released Wei Jingsheng, a pro-democracy activist, from prison for medical reasons.
1990 | Pop group Milli Vanilli was stripped of their Grammy award because the duo didn’t sing at all on the Girl You Know It’s True album. The musicians from the show had provided all the sounds.
1989 | Salvadoran army soldiers killed six Jesuit priests and two others at the José Simeón Cañas University.
READ ALSO: What happened on November 15?
BIRTHDAY
1978 | Japanese actor Takashi Nagayama.
1970 | Canadian-American guitarist and producer, Logan Mader.
1955 | Argentine soccer player, coach and manager, Héctor Cúper.
ON THIS DAY: DEATHS
1982 | South African rugby union footballer, Jannie du Plessis.
1994 | Francois Esterhuyzen, South African rugby union footballer.
2008 | English actor and screenwriter, Reg Varney, 92.
2012 | Bangladeshi actor and director, Subhash Dutta, 82.
2015 | US General, Alton D. Slay, 91.
2007 | Norwegian actor and screenwriter, Trond Kirkvaag, 61.
2013 | American mathematician and academic, Oscar Lanford, 73.
SPORTS
2021 | Former Polish soccer referee Aleksander Suchanek died on this day at the age of 80. He directed the matches of the national soccer teams. He was born on December 12, 1940.
ENTERTAINMENT
2001 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released that day for the first time.
MADE FROM AFRICA
The Suez Canal was built to connect the North Atlantic Ocean with that of North India.
