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, .''Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway'', Statement No. 19, p. 185, ref. no. 200954-13
* 1 March – Free State – Aberfeldy to Bethlehem, .
* 27 March – Transvaal – Rayton to Cullinan, .
* 1 May – Cape Western – Hutchinson to Pampoenpoort, .''Report for year ending 31 December 1909'', Cape Government Railways, Section VIII - Dates of Opening and the Length of the different Sections in the Cape Colony, from the Year 1873 to 31st December, 1909.
* 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

{{Africa topic, 1905 in, state=collapsed

South Africa
Years in South Africa