1905 in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Walter Hely-Hutchinson.
• Governor of the Colony of Natal: Henry Edward McCallum.
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: Leander Starr Jameson.
• Prime Minister of the Orange River Colony: Alfred Milner, William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne.
• Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal: George Morris Sutton, Charles John Smythe.

  Events

• 26 - The Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond in the world at, is discovered by Captain Frederick Wells at Cullinan.

• Non-whites are not given voting rights, except in the Cape Colony.
• The Cape Town City Hall in Darling Street is built.

  Births

• 3 February - Herman Charles Bosman, writer and journalist, is born at Kuilsrivier, Cape Town.
• 8 April - Helen Joseph, activist, is born in Sussex, England.
• 5 July - Jock Cameron, cricketer.
• 2 September - Harry Hart, athlete.
• 4 September - Eileen Mary Challans, writer is born in Essex, England.

  Deaths

• 18 April - Enoch Sontonga, composer of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, dies at age 32.

  Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February - Free State - Springfontein to Jagersfontein,.
• 1 March - Free State - Aberfeldy to Bethlehem,.
• 27 March - Transvaal - Rayton to Cullinan,.
• 1 May - Cape Western - Hutchinson to Pampoenpoort,.
• 18 May - Cape Eastern - Xalanga to Elliot,.
• 1 August - Transvaal - Klerksdorp to Vierfontein,.
• 19 September - Cape Western - De Aar to Prieska,.
• 1 November - Cape Eastern - Komga to Eagle,.
• 1 November - Cape Midland - Humewood Road to Humansdorp,.
• 1 November - Natal - Elandskop to Donnybrook,.
• 2 November - Cape Eastern - Aliwal North to Lady Grey,.
• 1 December - Cape Western - Cape Town to Sea Point,.
• 16 December - Cape Western - Van der Stel to Strand,.
• 16 December - Free State - Modderpoort to Ladybrand,.
• 18 December - Free State - Marseilles to Maseru in Basutoland,.
• 20 December - Transvaal - Springs to Breyten,.
• 22 December - Free State - Dover to Parys,.

  Locomotives

• A single 0-4-2 tank locomotive named Britannia is placed in service by the Cape Copper Company as a shunting engine at Port Nolloth in the Cape Colony.

• The Natal Government Railways places two Class A 4-6-2| Pacific locomotives in service, designed by Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie for passenger traffic on the mainline between Ladysmith and Charlestown. In 1912 they will be designated Class 2 on the South African Railways.

• The Central South African Railways places two four-cylinder rack tank steam locomotives in service on the section between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven, but they are underpowered and prove to be failures in rack service.