July 28 holds deep historical significance for Africa, encompassing landmark sporting achievements, political turbulence, scientific discoveries and international health advocacy.
In 1978, Algiers became the focal point of continental unity as it hosted the closing ceremony of the 3rd African Games.
Over two weeks, nearly 3,000 athletes representing 45 nations competed, strengthening African sporting cooperation and paving the way for Nairobi, the next host city.
The Games marked a milestone in efforts to foster regional solidarity through sport.
A decade later, on 28 July 1988, South Africa was gripped by unrest when Winnie Mandela’s Soweto residence was set ablaze amid fierce tensions between student activists and supporters of the African National Congress (ANC).
The attack highlighted the deep divisions within anti-apartheid factions during the final years of white minority rule, reflecting the broader fractures in a nation on the cusp of historic change.
July 28 has also carried scientific significance. On this day in 2016, the South African Journal of Science published findings on a 1.7-million-year-old fossilised cancer discovered in Swartkrans Cave, near Johannesburg.
The tumour, identified on a human foot bone, stands as one of the earliest known cases of cancer in hominids, challenging the widespread perception of cancer as a purely modern affliction.
The date additionally underscores global health challenges, as World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on 28 July. Established by the World Health Organization to honour Nobel laureate Dr Baruch Blumberg—the discoverer of the hepatitis B virus—the campaign draws attention to the disease’s heavy toll in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to WHO data, the region accounts for over 70% of global hepatitis B cases among children under five, underscoring the urgent need for vaccination and public health interventions.
Across decades, July 28 has repeatedly emerged as a day when Africa’s resilience, challenges and achievements converge on the world stage.
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