1905 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1905 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Walter Hely-Hutchinson.
• Governor of the Colony of Natal: Henry Edward McCallum.
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: Leander Starr Jameson.
• Prime Minister of the Orange River Colony: Alfred Milner (until 7 June), William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne (starting 7 June).
• Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal: George Morris Sutton (until 16 May), Charles John Smythe (starting 16 May).

Events

January

• 26 – The Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond in the world at , is discovered by Captain Frederick Wells at Cullinan.

Unknown date

• Non-whites are not given voting rights, except in the Cape Colony.
• The Cape Town City Hall in Darling Street is built.

Births

• 3 February – Herman Charles Bosman, writer and journalist, is born at Kuilsrivier, Cape Town. (d. 1951)
• 8 April – Helen Joseph, activist, is born in Sussex, England. (d. 1992)
• 5 July – Jock Cameron, cricketer. (d. 1935)
• 9 August – Moses Kotane, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1978)
• 2 September – Harry Hart, athlete. (d. 1979)
• 4 September – Eileen Mary Challans, writer is born in Essex, England. (d. 1983)

Deaths

• 18 April – Enoch Sontonga, composer of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, dies at age 32.

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February – Free State – Springfontein to Jagersfontein, .
• 1 March – Free State – Aberfeldy to Bethlehem, .
• 27 March – Transvaal – Rayton to Cullinan, .
• 1 May – Cape Western – Hutchinson to Pampoenpoort, .
• 18 May – Cape Eastern – Xalanga to Elliot, .
• 1 August – Transvaal – Klerksdorp to Vierfontein (Free State), .
• 19 September – Cape Western – De Aar to Prieska, .
• 1 November – Cape Eastern – Komga to Eagle, .
• 1 November – Cape Midland – Humewood Road to Humansdorp (Narrow gauge), .
• 1 November – Natal – Elandskop to Donnybrook, .
• 2 November – Cape Eastern – Aliwal North to Lady Grey, .
• 1 December – Cape Western – Cape Town to Sea Point, .
• 16 December – Cape Western – Van der Stel to Strand, .
• 16 December – Free State – Modderpoort to Ladybrand, .

• 18 December – Free State – Marseilles to Maseru in Basutoland, .
• 20 December – Transvaal – Springs to Breyten, .
• 22 December – Free State – Dover to Parys, .

Locomotives

Cape

• A single 0-4-2 tank locomotive named Britannia is placed in service by the Cape Copper Company as a shunting engine at Port Nolloth in the Cape Colony.

Natal

• The Natal Government Railways places two Class A Pacific locomotives in service, designed by Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie for passenger traffic on the mainline between Ladysmith and Charlestown. In 1912 they will be designated Class 2 on the South African Railways (SAR).

Transvaal

• The Central South African Railways places two four-cylinder rack tank steam locomotives in service on the section between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven, but they are underpowered and prove to be failures in rack service.

References