There were two expedtions from 1497 until 1502. In 1497 a portuguese explorer named Vasco da Gama landed on the Natal Coast of South Africa.

The first Europeans to come to South Africa were the Portuguese in 1488.

Brief Overview of the History of South Africa South Africa has been inhabited by people for thousands of years. A chronology of key events in the history of South Africa from 4th-century migrations to the present day. A chronology of key events in the history of South Africa from 4th-century migrations to the present day. Many of the people that live in South Africa today speak some form of Bantu language. Early on in its history, the Bantu tribes migrated to the area.