The following lists events that happened during 1989 in South Africa.
Incumbents
State President: P.W. Botha (until 15 August). F.W. de Klerk (acting from 15 August, incumbent from 20 September). Chief Justice: Pieter Jacobus Rabie.
Events
January
8 – The African National Congress announces that it will start dismantling its guerrilla camps in Angola in support of the peace process. 18 – State President P.W. Botha has a mild stroke. 19 – Chris Heunis, Minister of Constitutional Development and Planning, is appointed Acting State President. An Eskom sub-station in Glenwood, Durban is damaged by an explosion and police later defuses a second bomb found nearby. An explosion occurs at the home in Benoni of the chair of the Ministers Council in the House of Delegates. An explosion occurs at an aircraft factory in Ciskei. Two municipal police members are killed in a grenade attack on Katlehong's Municipal Police Station.
February
2 – An ailing State President Pieter Willem Botha steps down from the leadership of the National Party, but remains state president. Trevor Manuel is released from detention under stringent restriction orders. An explosion at a municipal police barracks in Soweto injures four policemen. An explosion next to a police parade in Katlehong kills a municipal constable and injures nine others. A limpet mine explodes at the home of the commander of the Katlehong Police Station, Col. D. Dlamini.
March
15–21 – A conference of African National Congress chief representatives and regional treasurers takes place in Gran, Norway. An explosion occurs outside the Natal Command HQ on Durban's beachfront.
April
2 – SWAPO violates the border war cease-fire by invading South West Africa from Angola and nearly 300 are killed.
May
5 – Three South African Embassy staff are ordered to leave Britain within 7 days because of the attempted smuggling of a Blowpipe missile. The South African Air Force's Klippan Radar Station in the Western Transvaal comes under mortar attack.
June
Four bystanders are injured when a limpet mine explodes under a police vehicle in Duduza. A limpet mine explodes under a vehicle parked outside a policeman's home in Tsakane. A grenade is thrown at a police patrol in Tsakane. A limpet mine explodes in a rubbish bin outside the home of a policeman in Soweto. A bomb shatters the windows of KwaThema Police station's dining hall. A limpet mine explodes at the Police single quarters in Ratanda. A limpet mine explodes at the home of Boetie Abramjee, a National Party MP.
July
5 – State President P.W. Botha and Nelson Mandela, in prison at the time, meet for the first time. 23 – An explosive device planted at Athlone Magistrate's Court and police complex detonates prematurely, killing two African National Congress members.
August
15 – P.W. Botha resigns and F.W. de Klerk succeeds him as acting State President. A grenade is thrown into a Labour Party polling station in Bishop Lavis. The Brixton Flying Squad HQ is attacked with hand grenades and AK-47s. Lt-Col. Frank Zwane, a former liaison officer for the police, and his two sons are injured in a grenade attack in Soweto. An explosion occurs at the Athlone Police Station.
September
2 – "Purple Rain Protest" rioters in Greenmarket Square, Cape Town are sprayed with a purple dye. The resulting graffiti, "The purple shall govern" graces the pages of newspapers worldwide. 20 – F.W. de Klerk becomes the 9th State President of South Africa. A police patrol is ambushed by cadres (terrorists) in Katlehong. A mini-limpet mine explodes outside the Mamelodi Police station. Parliamentary elections are held and the National Party wins again. 100,000 people attend a peace march called by Cape Town city mayor Gordon Oliver in conjunction with religious leaders.
October
15 – Ahmed Kathrada, Jafta Masemola, Raymond Mhlaba, Wilton Mkwayi, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi, Oscar Mpetha and Walter Sisulu were released from custody of Apartheid government after some spending more than two decades in prison of Robben Island and other prisons. A bomb explodes outside the BP centre in Cape Town and another at Woodstock minutes later.
November
27 – The Hex River Tunnels system is officially opened. The system's longest tunnel at long is the longest railway tunnel in Africa. 30 – Judgement was handed down by the Appelate Division under Chief Judge Michael Corbett in the Administrator, Cape, v Ntshwaqela case.