Today in Kimberley's History
August 14th
Kimberley Club Opens – 1882
The first purpose-built clubhouse opened on 14 August 1882 on Du Toitspan Road. To celebrate the opening, a gala fancy dress ball, known as the Decemvir Ball, had been held 10 days earlier. Although comparatively modest beside the building that stands there today, it was already a substantial two-storey structure with broad verandahs. The ground floor contained the principal dining and social rooms, while the upper floor included a billiard room, reading room and other facilities for members. It quickly became one of the centres of Kimberley’s social and business life.
PW Botha resigns as state President of SA - 1989
South African President, Pieter Willem Botha, resigned from his position as state president seven months after a minor stroke that led to his admission in hospital, and amid rising political instability, growing economic problems and diplomatic isolation. On 15 August, Mr. F.W. de Klerk was sworn in as Acting President pending the results of the general elections. In 1990 Botha resigned from the National Party (NP) in protest against President F.W. de Klerk's reform proposals which included the unbanning of some influential organizations such as the African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and South African Communist Party (SACP) and the release of political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela.