February
Pneumonic plague breaks out in Johannesburg.
June
22 – The first of 62,000 Chinese labourers arrive in South Africa to relieve the shortage of unskilled mine workers.
Unknown date
The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) is established in Cape Town.
16 February – Philip Rabinowitz, South African record breaking sprinter. (d. 2008)
3 June – Vincent Tancred, South African cricketer. (b. 1875)
14 July – Paul Kruger, exiled president of the South African Republic, dies in Clarens, Switzerland at the age of 78.
1 February – Cape Western – Maitland to Ottery, 7 miles (11.3 kilometres).
1 March – Cape Midland – Le Roux to Oudtshoorn, 16 miles 41 chains (26.6 kilometres).
7 June – Cape Western – Paarl to Franschhoek, 17 miles 10 chains (27.6 kilometres).
15 June – Free State – Thaba 'Nchu to Modderpoort, 45 miles 73 chains (73.9 kilometres).
17 August – Cape Eastern – Indwe to Xalanga, 31 miles 3 chains (50.0 kilometres).
1 September – Free State – Hamilton to Tempe, 4 miles (6.4 kilometres).
7 September – Cape Eastern – Amabele to Komga, 27 miles (43.5 kilometres).
17 October – Cape Eastern – Middledrift to Adelaide, 56 miles 64 chains (91.4 kilometres).
3 November – Natal – Pietermaritzburg to Elandskop, 35 miles 39 chains (57.1 kilometres).
December – Cape Western – Artois to Ceres Road, 4 miles 38 chains (7.2 kilometres).
15 December – Transvaal – Langlaagte to Vereeniging, 44 miles 56 chains (71.9 kilometres).
Cape
Four new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Cape Government Railways (CGR):
Two experimental superheated 6th Class 4-6-0 locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 6L by the South African Railways (SAR).
Four Karoo Class 4-6-2 Pacific passenger steam locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 5B by the SAR.
The last eight 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidation type locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 8Z on the SAR.
The final batch of ten 8th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 8F on the SAR.
Six "Type B" 4-6-0 steam locomotives enter service on the Avontuur narrow gauge line in the Langkloof.
A single 0-4-2 inverted saddle-tank locomotive named Caledonia is placed in service by the Cape Copper Company as a shunting engine at O'okiep in the Cape Colony.
Natal
Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Natal Government Railways (NGR):
Twenty-five Class E 4-8-2 Mountain type tank locomotives. In 1912 they will become the Class G on the SAR.
Fifty Class B 4-8-0 Mastodon type mainline steam locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 1 on the SAR.
The Natal Harbours Department places a single 0-6-0 saddle-tank locomotive named Sir Albert in service as dock shunter in Durban Harbour.
Transvaal
Five new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Central South African Railways (CSAR):
Five Class 9 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotives.
Fifteen Class 10 4-6-2 Pacific passenger locomotives.
Thirty-six Class 11 2-8-2 Mikado type locomotives.
Eight Class F 4-6-4T Baltic type tank locomotives in suburban service between Springs and Randfontein.
A single experimental 0-6-0+0-6-0 Class M Kitson-Meyer type articulated steam locomotive.
The CSAR rebuilds most of its Reid Tenwheeler 4-10-2T tank locomotives to 4-8-0TT tank-and-tender locomotives. In 1912 these converted locomotives will be designated Class 13 on the SAR.
1904 in South Africa Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
