1866 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1866 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Philip Wodehouse.
 * Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal: Sir John Bisset (acting).
 * State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand.
 * President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (until 21 October).
 * State President of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (from 22 October).

Events

 * March
 * 1 – Stellenbosch Gymnasium is opened, later to be renamed Stellenbosch University.


 * October
 * 22 – The office of State President of the South African Republic is created by constitutional amendment approved at a session of the Volksraad.


 * Unknown date
 * India officially stops sending Indian labourers to Natal.
 * Erasmus Jacobs discovers the 21.25 carat Eureka Diamond near Hopetown on the banks of the Orange River in the Cape of Good Hope.

Births

 * 3 April – J.B.M. Hertzog, Boer General and 3rd Prime Minister of South Africa. (d. 1942)