Published date
9 April 1960
The first assassination attempt was made on the life of Prime Minister H.F. Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. His assailant was a disgruntled White farmer, David Pratt, who fired two shots at the Minister at close range. Despite two bullets in his head, he miraculously escaped death. Verwoerd was murdered in 1966 by Dimitrio Tsafendas, a parliamentary messenger.
References
Muller, C.F.J. (ed)(1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 500. |Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.