See also: 1988 in South Africa, other events of 1989, 1990 in South Africa and the Timeline of South African history.

Events

January

• A Eskom sub-station in Glenwood, Durban is damaged by explosion, later police defuse a second bomb found nearby
• Explosion at a Eskom sub-station in Sandhurst, Johannesburg
• A limpit mine explodes at home of the chair of the Ministers Council in the House of Delegates in Benoni
• An explosion at aircraft factory in Ciskei
• Two municipal police are killed in grenade attack on Katlehong's Municipal Police Station

February

• 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 explodes at the home of the commander of Katlehong Police Station, Col. D. Dlamini

March

• An explosion outside the Natal Command HQ on Durban's beachfront
• 15 - 21 March - A conference of African National Congress' chief representatives and regional treasurers is held in Gran, Norway

April

• An explosion at the Police HQ's single quarters in Durban
• A bomb explodes at the Yeoville Police Station in Johannesburg
• Five special constables are injured in a attack on a police outpost in Katlehong
• Two municipal policemen are injured when grenades are thrown at Councillor Abram Mzizi home in Thokoza
• An explosion at Nigel's post office
• 8 April - The Progressive Federal Party, Independent Democrats and the National Democratic Movement merge to form the Democratic Party

May

• 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 explodes under police vehicle in Duduza
• A limpet place under a vehicle parked outside a policman's home in Tsakane explodes
• A grenade is thrown at a police patrol in Tsakane
• A limpet mine explodes in rubbish bin outside the home of 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 Labour Party MP

August

• 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 at the Athlone Police Station

September

• FW de Klerk becomes the 9th State President of South Africa
• A police patrol is ambushed by terrorist or freedom fighters in Katlehong
• A mini-limpet explodes outside the Mamelodi Police station

October

• Bomb explodes outside the BP centre in Cape Town and at a Woodstock garage a few minutes later

Unknown date

• The Hluhluwe and Umfolozi Game Reserves are joined through the Corridor Reserve as the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve
• The government starts dismantling six nuclear fission devices that were built during the apartheid era

Births

Deaths