February
2 – Johannes Henricus (Jan) Brand is inaugurated as the fourth president of the Orange Free State.
December
19 – A railway line to Wynberg, constructed with private capital, is opened to the public.
Unknown date
The Republic of New Scotland is set up in what is now the Amsterdam region in Mpumalanga.
Bloemhof is founded on the banks of the Vaal River when diamonds are discovered in the area.
1 February – David Hume, explorer and big-game hunter, dies in Grahamstown at the age of 66.
19 December – Cape Western – Salt River to Wynberg, 6 miles (9.7 kilometres).
The first of three 2-4-0 tank locomotives are acquired as motive power for the Wynberg line, one by the Wynberg Railway Company and the other two by the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company who undertakes to rent and operate the line.
1864 in South Africa Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA