Key turning points, 1994 - present day

1994

10 May

Nelson Mandela becomes head of state

1996

October

Sarafina 2 becomes the first post-apartheid corruption scandal

14 June

Gear is adopted as South Africa's macroeconomic policy framework

1997

18 December

Thabo Mbeki becomes ANC president, and cadre deployment is adopted

1998

December

The Department of Energy publishes a White Paper on future energy constraints

8 December

Jacob Zuma becomes the first chairperson of the deployment committee

18 December

Cabinet adopts the Strategic Defence Procurement Package - the arms deal

1999

14 June

Thabo Mbeki becomes the second democratic president

2001

January

The Scorpions are established; investigation into the arms deal continues

November

An investigation clears government of wrongdoing related to the arms deal

2002

November

Deputy President Jacob Zuma is investigated by the Scorpions

2003

23 August

Bulelani Ngcuka, national prosecutions head, declines to prosecute Zuma

2005

2 June

Schabir Shaik found guilty on corruption charges, Mbeki fires Zuma

20 June

The National Prosecuting Authority charges Zuma

2006

20 September

Charges against Zuma are dropped

2007

October

Load-shedding starts as Eskom struggles to supply electricity

18 December

Zuma is elected president of the ANC at Polokwane

28 December

The NPA again charges Zuma with corruption, fraud and racketeering

2008

21 May

Amendment bills introduced to dissolve the Scorpions

12 September

Judge Chris Nicholson finds that Mbeki interfered in the case against Zuma

20 September

Mbeki is removed as president by the ANC, replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe

2009

30 January

The Scorpions are officially dissolved by caretaker president Motlanthe

6 April

The NPA drops charges against Zuma

9 June

Zuma is elected president and inaugurated at the Union Buildings

2010

June, July

South Africa hosts the FIFA World Cup.

2012

January

The Public Protector launches an investigation into Zuma's Nkandla home

18 December

Zuma is re-elected ANC president, with Cyril Ramaphosa his deputy

18 December

Ramaphosa becomes chairperson of the ANC's deployment committee

2013

30 April

The Gupta wedding party plane lands at Waterkloof Air Force Base

2014

19 March

The Public Protector finds that Zuma must reimburse the state for Nkandla

24 May

Zuma is inaugurated for his second term, Ramaphosa becomes his deputy

25 May

Ramaphosa becomes leader of government business in Parliament, and chairperson of the Eskom war room

23 September

Tom Moyane is deployed to SARS

December

The boards of Eskom, Transnet, Prasa and others...