1916 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1916 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * Monarch: King George V.
 * Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: The Viscount Buxton.
 * Prime Minister: Louis Botha.
 * Chief Justice: James Rose Innes

Events

 * February
 * 12 – In the Battle of Salaita Hill, South African and other British Empire troops fail to take a German East African defensive position.


 * July
 * 14-16 – During the Battle of Delville Wood, 766 men from the South African Brigade are killed in South Africa's biggest loss in the First World War.


 * September
 * 4 – Dar es Salaam surrenders to British Empire forces.

Births

 * 12 January – P.W. Botha, politician, Prime Minister and State President. (d. 2006)
 * 15 January – Rachel Alida de Toit, actor who performed under the name Lydia Lindeque. (d. 1997)
 * 28 March – Abraham Manie Adelstein, South African-born Chief Medical Statistician of the United Kingdom. (d. 1992)
 * 1 July – Thomas Hamilton-Brown, boxer. (d. 1981)

Deaths

 * 5 June – The Earl Kitchener, British military commander during the Second Boer War. (b. 1850)
 * 28 November – Martinus Theunis Steyn, last State President of the Orange Free State. (b. 1857)

Railway lines opened

 * 18 February – Transvaal – Morgenzon to Amersfoort, 27 mi.
 * 25 May – Natal – Boughton to Cedara deviation, 11 mi.
 * 5 June – Transvaal – Volksrust to Amersfoort, 50 mi.
 * 30 June – Free State – Aliwal North (Cape) to Zastron, 55 mi.
 * 31 July – Free State – Vierfontein to Bothaville, 23 mi.
 * 18 September – Cape – Idutywa to Umtata, 71 mi.
 * 2 October – Cape – Williston to Kootjieskolk, 38 mi.
 * 18 October – Transvaal – Delareyville to Pudimoe (Cape), 79 mi.
 * November – Cape – Ascot to Tygerberg, 1 mi.
 * 24 November – Natal – Donnybrook to Underberg, 38 mi.

Locomotives

 * The South African Railways places six Class NG10 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotives in service on the Langkloof narrow gauge line.