1866, 3 April
Birth of James Barry Munnik Hertzog at Soetendal, Wellington. Hertzog was the third prime minister of the Union of South Africa, 1924-39.

1897, 3 April - Anglo-Zulu War of 1879: Relief of Eshowe
Colonel Charles Pearson and 1,700 men of the coastal column had been put under siege at the Eshowe mission by the Zulu from 23 January – they had resisted moves by the Zulu army to draw them out into open combat, but were suffering from dysentery and typhus.

Following the defeat of the Zulu army at Gingindlovu on the 2nd, Chelmsford's column arrived at Eshowe to give relief. To Colonel Pearson's regret, Chelmsford ordered the fort at Eshowe dismantled, believing, quite correctly, that it lay too far within enemy country to be of use.

1900, 3 April - Boer War: Battle of Mostert's Hoek
The beginning of a two-day battle between General De Wet's forces (400 men, no artillery) and British encamped behind stone breastworks on the heights of Mostert's Hoek (near Reddersburg). De Wet sends a note to the British demanding their surrender and claims to have three Krupp guns and reinforcements on the way.

1930, 3 April
Haile Selassie (formally Ras Tafari) is proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia.

1935, 3 April
Ethiopian forces are massing along the Italian Somaliland border.

1941, 3 April - World War II: North Africa
British forces evacuate Benghazi.

1942, 3 April - World War II: West Africa
Rule of Equatorial Africa and the Cameroons by 'Free France' is recognised by the US.

1984, 3 April
One week after the death of Ahmed Sékou Touré in Guinea, Colonel Lansana Konte is declared president. Touré's prime minister, Louis Lansana Beavogui is removed as acting president by the military, with wide support from the public.
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