1890 in South Africa

← 1889 1888 1887 1890 in South Africa → 1891 1892 1893
Decades:	1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

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 – The first railway line in the Transvaal, known as the Randtram, is opened for service between Boksburg and Braamfontein in Johannesburg. ^{[1] : 19  [2]}

June

• 6 – Magadu Bhambada becomes chief of the AmaZondi people at the age of 25 after the death of his father and uncle.
• 23 June – President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic institutes a Second Volksraad which is responsible for controlling local matters. ^[3]

July

• 17 – Cecil Rhodes becomes Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

Births

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

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February – Cape Western – Somerset West to Sir Lowry's Pass Village, 5 miles 20 chains (8.4 kilometres). ^[4]
• 28 March – Natal – Glencoe Junction to Talana, 8 miles 35 chains (13.6 kilometres). ^[2]
• 15 May – Natal – Glencoe Junction to Newcastle, 36 miles 33 chains (58.6 kilometres). ^[2]
• 13 October – Transvaal – Braamfontein to Springs, 30 miles (48.3 kilometres). ^[2]
• 17 November – Transvaal – Braamfontein to Roodepoort, 11 miles (17.7 kilometres). ^[2]
• 1 December – Cape Western – Kalkbaai to Simon's Town, 5 miles 37 chains (8.8 kilometres). ^[4]

CGR 5th Class 4-6-0

Namaqualand 0-6-2 Clara Class

NZASM 18 Tonner 0-6-0ST

• 1 December – Cape Western – Kimberley to Vryburg, 126 miles 61 chains (204.0 kilometres). ^[4]
• 17 December – Cape Midland – Colesberg Junction to Norvalspont bridge, 23 miles 43 chains (37.9 kilometres). ^[4]
• 17 December – Free State – Norvalspont bridge to Bloemfontein, 120 miles 67 chains (194.5 kilometres). ^[2]

Locomotives

Cape

• The Cape Government Railways places twenty 5th Class 4-6-0 tender locomotives in mainline service on its Midland and Western Systems. ^{[5] : 39–41  [6] : 20}
• The first of four Clara Class 0-6-2 tender locomotives are placed in service by the Cape Copper Company on its 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep. ^[7]

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. ^{[5] : 110–112}

References

1. The South African Railways – Historical Survey. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978.
2. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 182, ref. no. 200954-13
3. Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
4. Report for year ending 31 December 1909, Cape Government Railways, Section VIII - Dates of Opening and the Length of the different Sections in the Cape Colony, from the Year 1873 to 31st December, 1909.
5. Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. ISBN   978-0-7153-5382-0.
6. Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. ISBN   0869772112.
7. Bagshawe, Peter (2012). Locomotives of the Namaqualand Railway and Copper Mines (1st ed.). Stenvalls. pp. 8–11, 16–23. ISBN   978-91-7266-179-0.