1871 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1871 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Henry Barkly.
 * Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal: Robert William Keate.
 * State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand.
 * State President of the South African Republic:
 * Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (until 20 November).
 * Daniel Jacobus Erasmus (acting from 21 November).

Events

 * October
 * 27 – British forces march into the Klipdrift Republic and annex the territory as Griqualand West Colony.


 * November
 * 21 – Daniel Jacobus Erasmus becomes acting State President of the South African Republic.


 * Unknown date
 * Gold is discovered at Pilgrim's Creek in the Pilgrim's Rest area.
 * When an 83.50 carat diamond is discovered, a diamond rush results and the town of New Rush springs up.

Births

 * 9 January – Eugène Marais, lawyer, naturalist, poet and writer. (d. 1936)
 * 7 April – Charlotte Maxeke, religious leader, social worker and political activist. (d. 1939)

Deaths

 * 4 October – Sarel Cilliers, Voortrekker leader and preacher. (b. 1801)

Railway lines opened

 * 18 February – Namaqualand – Port Nolloth to Muishondfontein, 44 mi.

Locomotives

 * Two gauge 0-6-0 tank locomotives are placed in service by the Cape of Good Hope Copper Mining Company, the first steam locomotives to enter service on the hitherto mule-powered Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and the Namaqualand copper mines around O'okiep in the Cape Colony.