1899 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1899 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Alfred Milner.
 * Governor of the Colony of Natal: Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell.
 * State President of the Orange Free State: Martinus Theunis Steyn.
 * State President of the South African Republic: Paul Kruger.
 * Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: William Philip Schreiner.
 * Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal: Henry Binns (until 17 August), Albert Henry Hime (starting 17 August).

Events

 * April
 * The Transvaal government orders Asiatics to move into Locations specified by the government before 1 July.


 * May
 * 4 – Cape Town based food packaging company Imperial Cold Storage and Supply Company is founded in London.
 * 5 – Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner of South Africa and Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, sends a telegram to Joseph Chamberlain urging him to intervene in the South African Republic.


 * October
 * 1 – Jan Gysbert Hugo Bosman, aka Bosman de Ravelli, a concert pianist and composer, leaves South Africa for London.
 * 11 – The South African Republic declares war on Britain and launches the Second Boer War which will only end in 1902.
 * 13 – The Siege of Mafeking begins.
 * 14 – The Siege of Kimberley begins.
 * 20 – In the Battle of Talana Hill, the first major clash of the conflict near Dundee, Natal, the British Army drives the Boers from a hilltop position, but with heavy casualties, including their Commanding General Sir Penn Symons.


 * November
 * 2 – The Siege of Ladysmith begins.

Births

 * 30 January – Max Theiler, a virologist and the first South African to receive a Nobel Prize, is born in Pretoria.
 * 18 February – Aegidius Jean Blignaut, short story writer and creator of Hottentot Ruiter, is born in Kroonstad.

Deaths

 * 6 June – Sir Henry Binns, sugar cane farmer, founder of the Umhlanga Valley Sugar Estate Company and Natal politician, dies in Pietermaritzburg at the age of 61.

Railway lines opened

 * 31 January – Free State – Wolwehoek to Heilbron, 30 mi.
 * 12 April – Cape Central – Roodewal to Swellendam, 41 mi.
 * 1 May – Transvaal – Potgietersrus to Pietersburg, 39 mi.
 * 25 October – Natal – Pietermaritzburg to New Hanover, 29 mi.

Locomotives

 * The Natal Government Railways places the first of 101 Class C 4-10-2T Reid Tenwheeler locomotives in service. In 1912 they will be designated Class H on the South African Railways (SAR).
 * The New Cape Central Railway places its first Cape 7th Class 4-8-0 Mastodon type locomotive in service. In 1925 they will be designated Class 7E on the SAR.
 * The Walvis Bay Railway places a single 2-4-2 tank locomotive named Hope in service.
 * Rand Mines acquires two narrow gauge 0-4-0 tank steam locomotives from Avonside Engine Company.