Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 25 December, throughout world and South African history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.
ON THIS DAY: 25 DECEMBER
1925 | ANC member and UDF-leader Christmas Tinto, was born in Mqanduli in the Transkei.
1906 | The Bondelswarts surrendered to the German forces.
2016 | A Russian Ministry of Defense Tupolev Tu-154 carrying members of the Alexandrov Ensemble crashed into the Black Sea shortly after takeoff, killing all 92 people on board.
2012 | An Antonov An-72 plane crashed near the city of Shymkent, killing 27 people.
2004 | The Cassini orbiter released Huygens probe which successfully landed on Saturn’s moon Titan on January 14, 2005.
2003 | The ill-fated Beagle 2 probe, launched from the Mars Express spacecraft on December 19, stopped transmitting shortly before its scheduled landing.
ALSO READ: What happened on 23 December?
BIRTHDAYS
1959 | South African politician, Thandi Modise.
1957 | Zulu dancer and musician, Dudu Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu died in 1992.
1972 | American singer-songwriter and producer, Mac Powell.
1964 | English keyboard player, songwriter, producer, and journalist, Bob Stanley.
1981 | Danish-Faroese footballer, Christian Holst.
ON THIS DAY: DEATHS
2017 | American magazine publisher, D. Herbert Lipson,88.
2020 | American basketball player and coach, K. C. Jones, 88.
2014 | Cuban-French architect, Ricardo Porro, 89.
2012 | Saudi Arabian politician, Turki bin Sultan, 53.
2013 | Filipino politician, eighth Mayor of Quezon City, Mel Mathay, 81.
SPORTS
1984 | Michel Platini on this day was declared the best soccer player in Europe for the second time in a row after winning the Ballon d’Or award.
ENTERTAINMENT
1990 | Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather Part III”, starring Al Pacino, Andy Garcia, and Diane Keaton, premiered on this day.
AFRICA FACT
Zambia is the only African country that gives women menstrual leave for a day off every month.
