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The following lists events that happened during 1905 in South Africa.
Contents
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 3,106 carats (621.2 g), 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, 48 miles 13 chains (77.5 kilometres).
1 March – Free State – Aberfeldy to Bethlehem, 44 miles 10 chains (71.0 kilometres).
27 March – Transvaal – Rayton to Cullinan, 6 miles (9.7 kilometres).
1 May – Cape Western – Hutchinson to Pampoenpoort, 48 miles 28 chains (77.8 kilometres).
18 May – Cape Eastern – Xalanga to Elliot, 19 miles 27 chains (31.1 kilometres).
1 August – Transvaal – Klerksdorp to Vierfontein (Free State), 17 miles 15 chains (27.7 kilometres).
19 September – Cape Western – De Aar to Prieska, 112 miles 8 chains (180.4 kilometres).
1 November – Cape Eastern – Komga to Eagle, 27 miles 4 chains (43.5 kilometres).
1 November – Cape Midland – Humewood Road to Humansdorp (Narrow gauge), 68 miles 57 chains (110.6 kilometres).
1 November – Natal – Elandskop to Donnybrook, 42 miles 38 chains (68.4 kilometres).
2 November – Cape Eastern – Aliwal North to Lady Grey, 39 miles 65 chains (64.1 kilometres).
1 December – Cape Western – Cape Town to Sea Point, 3 miles 51 chains (5.9 kilometres).
16 December – Cape Western – Van der Stel to Strand, 2 miles 6 chains (3.3 kilometres).
16 December – Free State – Modderpoort to Ladybrand, 7 miles (11.3 kilometres).
18 December – Free State – Marseilles to Maseru in Basutoland, 16 miles 32 chains (26.4 kilometres).
20 December – Transvaal – Springs to Breyten, 121 miles 78 chains (196.3 kilometres).
22 December – Free State – Dover to Parys, 20 miles 18 chains (32.5 kilometres).
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 4-6-2 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.