Timeline of Johannesburg

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Johannesburg, in the Gauteng province in South Africa.

19th century

1886 – Johannesburg township established by Boer government after discovery of gold in vicinity.
1887
* The Star newspaper in publication.
* St. Mary's Church built.
* Johannesburg Stock Exchange founded.
* Theatre Royal opens.
1888 – St Mary's School was founded.
1890
* Library opens.
* Jeppe High School for Boys was founded.
1891
* Horse-drawn tram begins operating.
* Standard Theatre opens.
1892 – Prison built.
1895 – Railway in operation.
1896
* January: Uprising against Boer government.
* 19 February: Braamfontein Explosion.
1897
* Johannesburg Park station opens.
* Johan Zulch de Villiers becomes the first mayor.
1898 – St John's College was founded.
1899 – Fort built.
1900 – 31 May: Town captured by British forces during the Second Boer War.

20th century

1900s–1950s

1902
* King Edward VII School was founded.
* St. Andrew's School for Girls was founded.
1903
* Johannesburg Stock Exchange building constructed.
* Observatory built near town.
* Sophiatown developed.
* Roedean School for Girls was founded.
1904
* Johannesburg Zoo and Transvaal Technical Institute established.
* April: Brickfields burned.
* Drill Hall built.
* Population: 99,022.
1905
* Town administrative wards created.
* Johannesburg Statistics begins publication.
* Alexandra developed near Johannesburg.
1906
* Electric trams begin operating.
* Sunday Times newspaper begins publication.
* Meeting of the Municipal Associations of South Africa held in Johannesburg.
1907 – Redhill School was founded.
1908 – Population: 180,687.
1919 – Jeppe High School for Girls was founded.
1920 – Parktown Boys' High School was founded.
1921 – Helpmekaar Kollege was founded.
1922
* University of the Witwatersrand incorporated.
* January–March: Miner's strike.
1923 – Parktown High School for Girls was founded.
1925 – Technikon Witwatersrand established.
1927 – Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra founded.
1928
* Johannesburg gains city status.
* Ellis Park Stadium was opened.
1929 – South African Institute of Race Relations headquartered in city.
1931 – Airport opens in Germiston.
1933 – Kingsmead College was founded.
1935 – Johannesburg City Library building opens.
1936 – 15 September: The Empire Exhibition, South Africa World's Fair opens
1937 – 15 January: The Empire Exhibition, South Africa closes.
1941 – St David's Marist, Inanda was founded.
1942 – Springbok Legion's Fighting Talk begins publication.
1944 – Hoërskool Florida was founded.
1946 – Population: 603,470 city; 762,910 urban agglomeration.
1948 – Polly Street Centre founded.
1950 – Springbok Radio begins broadcasting.
1951
* Drum magazine begins publication.
* Population: 631,911 city; 884,007 urban agglomeration.
* Waverley High School for Girls was founded.
1952 – Jan Smuts Airport established in Kempton Park.
1953 – St Stithians College was founded.
1956
* December: Treason Trial begins.
* Purple Renoster literary magazine begins publication.
1957 – 1957 Alexandra bus boycott.
1958 – St Benedict's College was founded.

1960s–1990s

1960
* 21 March: Sharpeville massacre.
* Johannesburg Planetarium opens.
1961
* City becomes part of the Republic of South Africa.
* Greenside High School was founded.
1962 – Sentech Tower built.
1963
* 11 July: The arrest of Umkhonto we Sizwe high commanders known as Rivonia Trialist.
* 11 August: Four of the defendants who had been arrested on July 11, at the Liliesleaf Farm near Johannesburg, were able to escape their South African jail after a bribe was promised to their guard by the ANC.
* Classic magazine begins publication.
1964
* July: The arrest of Umkhonto we Sizwe high commanders known as Little Rivonia Trialist.
* Johannesburg Botanical Garden established.
1966 – Rand Afrikaans University founded.
1968 – Bryanston High School was founded.
1969
* Hyde Park Corner (shopping centre) in business.
* Northcliff High School was founded.
1970
* Tollman Towers and Trust Bank Building constructed.
* Population: 654,682 city; 1,432,643 urban agglomeration.
1971 – Hillbrow Tower built.
1973 – Marble Towers, Carlton Centre, and Sandton City shopping centre built.
1974 – Beeld newspaper begins publication.
1975 – Ponte City Apartments built.
1976
* 16 June: Soweto uprising.
* Market Theatre opens.
1978 – Staffrider literary magazine begins publication.
1980
* Municipal workers' strike.
* Federated Union of Black Artists Academy established.
1981 – The Sowetan newspaper begins publication.
1982
* City Press newspaper begins publication.
* Afrapix active.
1984
* 3 September: Sharpeville Six
*11 Diagonal Street built.
1985
* Weekly Mail newspaper begins publication.
* Mormon Temple dedicated.
* Population: 632,369 city; 1,609,408 urban agglomeration.
1987 – Water Institute of Southern Africa headquartered in city.
1988 – 31 August: Bombing of Khotso House.
1989
* Soccer City stadium opens.
* Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation established.
1991 – Population: 712,507 city; 1,916,061 metro.
1992
* Johannesburg Stadium opens.
* Centre for Policy Studies headquartered in Johannesburg.
1994
* 28 March: Shooting at Shell House.
* City becomes seat of the new Gauteng province.
* South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance established.
1995
* Gallagher Convention Centre opens.
* Centre for Development and Enterprise headquartered in Johannesburg.
* Johannesburg Biennale art exhibit begins.
1996
* 3 February: 1996 Africa Cup of Nations Final football contest played in Johannesburg.
* Population: 752,349 city.
1997
* MTN Sundrome opens.
* Flag of Johannesburg revised design adopted.
1998 – Website Joburg.org.za launched.
1998 – St Peter's College was founded.
1999 – September: 1999 All-Africa Games held in city.
2000
* City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and Johannesburg City Parks created.
* Stoned Cherrie in business.
* Population: 2,732,000.

21st century

2000s

2001
* Amos Masondo becomes mayor.
* Monash University, South Africa campus established.
* Population: 3,226,055.
2002
* Soweto becomes part of city.
* City hosts Earth Summit 2002.
2003 – Nelson Mandela Bridge built.
2004
* Constitutional Court of South Africa building opens in Constitution Hill.
* Drill Hall rebuilt.
* Creative Commons South Africa headquartered at University of the Witwatersrand.
2005
* University of Johannesburg established.
* 2 July: Live 8 concert.
* Population: 3,272,000.
2008
* Joburg Art Fair begins.
* Google office in business.
* Species Australopithecus sediba discovered near Johannesburg.
2009 - 28 June: 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Final football contest played in Johannesburg.

2010s

2010 – 11 July: 2010 FIFA World Cup Final held.
2011
* Parks Tau becomes mayor.
* Air pollution in Johannesburg reaches annual mean of 41 PM2.5 and 85 PM10, more than recommended.
* Population: 4,434,827.
2013
* 10 February: 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final football contest played in Johannesburg.
* 5 December: Nelson Mandela dies in Johannesburg.
2015 – October: #FeesMustFall protest.
2016
* 22 August: Herman Mashaba becomes mayor
* Mduduzi Edmund Tshabalala died in Johannesburg
* October: #FeesMustFall protest revival.
2018
* Winnie Madikizela-Mandela died in Johannesburg.
* International 10th BRICS summit held at Sandton Convention Centre.
* 24 October: Jabulani Tsambo died in Johannesburg

2020s

2021
* 9 July 2021: Geoff Makhubo dies.
* 10 August 2021: Jolidee Matongo becomes mayor.
* 18 September 2021: Jolidee Matongo dies from a car accident
2023: 19 July - Gas explosion destroys road in downtown.

Published in 20th century

Musiker, 2000. A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg, Francolin Pubs., Cape Town, South Africa.

Published in 21st century

;2000s

;2010s
*