Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 3 March, throughout world and South African history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.
ON THIS DAY: 3 MARCH
1973 | South Africa signed the CITES treaty on foreign trade in wild plants and animals that are threatened with extinction.
2013 | A bomb explosion in Karachi, Pakistan, left 180 people wounded and at least 45 dead in a neighborhood where Shia Muslims were the majority.
1986 | The Australia Act was put into effect, which led to Australia’s complete independence from the United Kingdom.
1944 | Just after midnight, a freight train leaving Balvano, Basilicata, Italy stalled in a tunnel as it was leaving, and 517 people perished from carbon monoxide poisoning.
1918 | As part of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Germany was granted authority over the Baltic States, Belarus, and Ukraine in exchange for Russia’s withdrawal from World War I. Additionally, it acknowledged Turkish rule over Ardahan, Kars, and Batumi.
ALSO READ: What happened on 2 March?
BIRTHDAYS
1981 | South African political activist, Julius Malema.
1955 | South African musician, Bheki Mseleku died in 2008.
1950 | Bangladeshi politician, Kamal Ahmed Majumder.
1968 | English keyboard player and physicist, Brian Cox.
1996 | South African cricketer, Andile Phehlukwayo.
ON THIS DAY: DEATHS
1968 | South African artist, composer and writer, Todd Tozama Matshikiza, 47.
2017 | Haitian politician, René Préval, 74.
2001 | American actor, Louis Edmonds, 78.
2002 | Indian lawyer and politician, 12th Speaker of the Lok Sabha, G. M. C. Balayogi, 51.
SPORTS
1995 | Chris Armstrong of Crystal Palace was the first player in the Premier Division to fail a drugs test on this day, and two days prior to an FA Cup match, he was absent.
ENTERTAINMENT
1989 | On this day, the “Like A Prayer” video from Madonna premiered on MTV the day after the music made its 2-minute Pepsi commercial debut, caused a stir.
AFRICA FACT
Pre-human bones that are 4-5 million years old were discovered in Africa.
