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The following lists events that happened during 1890 in South Africa.

Incumbents

  • Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Henry Brougham Loch.
  • Governor of the Colony of Natal: Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell.
  • State President of the Orange Free State: Francis William Reitz.
  • State President of the South African Republic: Paul Kruger.
  • Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: John Gordon Sprigg (until 16 July), Cecil John Rhodes (starting 16 July).

Events

;March

  • 17 &ndash; The first railway line in the Transvaal, known as the Randtram, is opened for service between Boksburg and Braamfontein in Johannesburg.

;July

  • 17 &ndash; Cecil Rhodes becomes Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

Births

  • 26 October &ndash; Percy Hansen, Danish soldier in British service, recipient of the Victoria Cross. (d. 1951)

Railways

Railway lines opened

  • 1 February &ndash; Cape Western &ndash; Somerset West to Sir Lowry's Pass Village, .
  • 28 March &ndash; Natal &ndash; Glencoe Junction to Talana, .
  • 15 May &ndash; Natal &ndash; Glencoe Junction to Newcastle, .
  • The first of four Clara Class 0-6-2 tender locomotives are placed in service by the Cape Copper Company on its narrow gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep.

;Transvaal

  • The Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM) of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal Republic) places six 18 Tonner saddle-tank locomotives in service on construction work on the Delagoa Bay line.

References