1890 in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Henry Brougham Loch.
• Governor of the Colony of Natal: Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell.
• State President of the Orange Free State: Francis William Reitz.
• State President of the South African Republic: Paul Kruger.
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: John Gordon Sprigg (until 16 July), Cecil John Rhodes (starting 16 July).

Events

;March

• 17 – The first railway line in the Transvaal, known as the Randtram, is opened for service between Boksburg and Braamfontein in Johannesburg.

;June

• 6 – Magadu Bhambada becomes chief of the AmaZondi people at the age of 25 after the death of his father and uncle.
• 23 June – President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic institutes a Second Volksraad which is responsible for controlling local matters.

;July

• 17 – Cecil Rhodes becomes Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

Births

• 26 October – Percy Hansen, Danish soldier in British service, recipient of the Victoria Cross. (d. 1951)

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February – Cape Western – Somerset West to Sir Lowry's Pass Village, 5 mi.
• 28 March – Natal – Glencoe Junction to Talana, 8 mi.
• 15 May – Natal – Glencoe Junction to Newcastle, 36 mi.
• 13 October – Transvaal – Braamfontein to Springs, 30 mi.
• 17 November – Transvaal – Braamfontein to Roodepoort, 11 mi.
• 1 December – Cape Western – Kalkbaai to Simon's Town, 5 mi.

• 1 December – Cape Western – Kimberley to Vryburg, 126 mi.
• 17 December – Cape Midland – Colesberg Junction to Norvalspont bridge, 23 mi.
• 17 December – Free State – Norvalspont bridge to Bloemfontein, 120 mi.

Locomotives

;Cape

• The Cape Government Railways places twenty 5th Class 4-6-0 tender locomotives in mainline service on its Midland and Western Systems.
• The first of four Clara Class 0-6-2 tender locomotives are placed in service by the Cape Copper Company on its narrow gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep.

;Transvaal

• The Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij (NZASM) of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal Republic) places six 18 Tonner saddle-tank locomotives in service on construction work on the Delagoa Bay line.

References

References

1. ''The South African Railways – Historical Survey''. Editor George Hart, Publisher Bill Hart, Sponsored by Dorbyl Ltd., Published c. 1978.
2. Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
3. ''Report for year ending 31 December 1909'', Cape Government Railways, Section VIII - Dates of Opening and the Length of the different Sections in the Cape Colony, from the Year 1873 to 31st December, 1909.
4. ''Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway'', Statement No. 19, p. 182, ref. no. 200954-13
5. {{Paxton-Bourne
6. {{Bagshawe
7. {{Holland-Vol 1