1978 — Pierre Mans is beaten 25-18 in the world snooker championship final by five-time title-holder Ray “Dracula” Reardon of Wales in Sheffield, England. The best-of-49-frame final was a hard-fought battle in the early stages, with “Perrie” Mans trailing just 17-18 on the final day before Reardon surged ahead. That remains South Africa’s best performance at the world championships.
1979 — World champion Kork Ballington and Jon Ekerold give South Africa a one-two finish in the 350cc race at the Austrian motorcycling grand prix at Salzburgring. Ballington set a 1 min 25.29 sec lap record as he averaged 176,52 kmph to win the race in 50:37.06, 22 seconds ahead of Ekerold.
1995 — Mbulelo Botile wins the IBF bantamweight title when he knocks out Colombian Harold Mestre in the second round at Soccer City in Johannesburg. The win makes Mzi Mnguni’s gym in East London the first in the country to boast two reigning world champions. The other is stablemate Vuyani Bungu, who successfully defends his IBF junior-featherweight crown on the same bill, outpointing Victor Llerena, also of Colombia.
2000 — Bafana Bafana beat Mauritius 3-0 in a Cosafa Cup match at the Royal Bafokeng stadium. Patrick Moyo converted a penalty in the 13th minute while Godfrey Sapula and Siyabonga Nomvethe scored late in the second half.
2001 — Bafana Bafana beat Mozambique 3-0 in a Cosafa Cup match in Maputo. Pollen Ndlanya netted in the first half with Nkosinathi Nhleko and Clement Mazibuko scoring in the second stanza.
2005 — AB de Villiers scores 103 not out and Graeme Smith an unbeaten 106 on the first day of the fourth Test against the West Indies in St John’s.
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