1859 in South Africa
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Incumbents
- Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir George Grey.[1][2]
- Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal: John Scott.
- State President of the Orange Free State:
- Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff (until 5 September).[3]
- Esaias Reynier Snijman (acting from 6 September).[3]
- President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius.[4]
Events
September
- 6 â Esaias Reynier Snijman becomes the acting State President of the Orange Free State.[3]
- 8 â The first railway locomotive in South Africa is brought ashore in Cape Town.[5]
Births
- 11 January â John Tengo Jabavu, political activist and newspaper editor. (d. 1921)
- 1 May â Willem Johannes Leyds, attorney-general of the South African Republic. (d. 1940)
Deaths
May
- 31 May â Henry Clifford de Meillon, painter (born c. 1800)[6]
Railways
Railway lines
- Construction begins on the Cape Town-Wellington Railway.[7]
Locomotives
- 8 September â A small 0-4-0 tank steam locomotive is landed in Cape Town, to be used during construction of the first railway in South Africa.[5]