2020 Year in Review: Prominent figures who lost their lives this year


The events industry is struggling to remain afloat as millions of rands in revenue and many jobs have been lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The global spread of COVID-19 dominates the news in 2020. In this video, we highlight some of the stories that marked SA's 2020 year of COVID-19.

With 2020 coming to an end, there is no doubt that the world and South Africa went through a very challenging year.

The murder case of Mahlomola Moshoeu and that of the Marikana mineworkers kept the tongues of South Africans wagging.

The Department of Basic Education says it is worried about the impact the second wave will have on the 2021 academic year. The department was reacting to the death of 32 teachers in less than a week from one province.

The year of 2020 may become the deadliest year in the history of the United States with the number of deaths in the year expected to exceed 3.2 million, according to preliminary estimates released by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sunday marks nine months since the country recorded its first COVID-19 death and the South African Medical Association (SAMA) is calling for lockdown level two with extreme measures amid a surge in infections.

The COVID-19 pandemic caught many industries off guard, and forced those in the creative sector to do things differently. For months live events and social gatherings were halted, which meant no income for artists who rely on live performances as their main stream of income. Most of them slowly moved their craft to digital platforms.

Amongst the top stories that SABC news covered were the New Year's Day attacks in Melville and Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg, as well as a string of gender-based violence killings.

As this year wraps up - the South African Football Association (SAFA) has paid homage to members of the football fraternity who lost their lives in 2020.

The public broadcaster's top radio station - Ukhozi FM - has encouraged its listeners to vote for their favourite song of the year.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community in the Northern Cape says 2020 been a tumultuous year.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the rate at which women in South Africa are murdered by intimate partners is five times higher than the global average.

The COVID-19 pandemic left 2020 an unprecedented year that was filled with challenges and adversity for many families across the globe. More than a year after the first case was detected in China, many are thrilled to bid 2020 farewell.

The Parliamentary calendar started off on a dramatic note after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) protested against the presence of former president FW de Klerk at SONA.

While 2020 will be remembered as a time when life as we knew it was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, some discovered new opportunities during the lockdown.

Below is our Timeline of prominent figures we have lost in 2020.

South Africa and the rest of the world have spent a large portion of 2020 having to gripple the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus has topped Google’s list of top searches in South Africa for 2020.

Separating fact from fiction on COVID-19.

In this series titled COVID Tech, SABC News’ Tshepiso Moche reports on coronavirus-related tech developments in South Africa and globally.

Creatives Under COVID-19 Lockdown is a SABC feature that focuses on the impact of coronavirus on the lives of creatives.

SABC News captures highlights from all corners of the globe, as the number of confirmed infections worldwide continues to rise.

SABC News captures their voices in this weekly feature, COVID-19 Frontline Workers.

In remembrance of those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 related complications.