April
The Transvaal government orders Asiatics to move into Locations specified by the government before 1 July.
May
4 – Cape Town based food packaging company Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company is founded in London.
5 – Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner of South Africa and Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, sends a telegram to Joseph Chamberlain urging him to intervene in the South African Republic.
October
1 – Jan Gysbert Hugo Bosman, aka Bosman de Ravelli, a concert pianist and composer, leaves South Africa for London.
11 – The South African Republic declares war on Britain and launches the Second Boer War which will only end in 1902.
13 – The Siege of Mafeking begins.
14 – The Siege of Kimberley begins.
20 – In the Battle of Talana Hill, the first major clash of the conflict near Dundee, Natal, the British Army drives the Boers from a hilltop position, but with heavy casualties, including their Commanding General Sir Penn Symons.
30 – The Siege of Ladysmith begins.
30 January – Max Theiler, a virologist and the first South African to receive a Nobel Prize, is born in Pretoria.
18 February – Aegidius Jean Blignaut, short story writer and creator of Hottentot Ruiter, is born in Kroonstad.
6 June – Sir Henry Binns, sugar cane farmer, founder of the Umhlanga Valley Sugar Estate Company and Natal politician, dies in Pietermaritzburg at the age of 61.
31 January – Free State – Wolwehoek to Heilbron, 30 miles 61 chains (49.5 kilometres).
12 April – Cape Central – Roodewal to Swellendam, 41 miles (66.0 kilometres).
1 May – Transvaal – Potgietersrus to Pietersburg, 39 miles (62.8 kilometres).
25 October – Natal – Pietermaritzburg to New Hanover, 29 miles 51 chains (47.7 kilometres).
The Natal Government Railways places the first of 101 Class C 4-10-2T Reid Tenwheeler locomotives in service. In 1912 they will be designated Class H on the South African Railways (SAR).
The New Cape Central Railway places its first Cape 7th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type locomotive in service. In 1925 they will be designated Class 7E on the SAR.
The Walvis Bay Railway places a single 2-4-2 tank locomotive named Hope in service.
Rand Mines acquires two narrow gauge 0-4-0 tank steam locomotives from Avonside Engine Company.
1899 in South Africa Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
