The following lists events that happened during 1883 in South Africa.
Incumbents Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Hercules Robinson. Governor of the Colony of Natal: Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer. State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand. State President of the South African Republic: Triumviate of Paul Kruger, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius and Piet Joubert (until 9 May), Paul Kruger (starting 9 May). Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: Thomas Charles Scanlen.
Events
April 16 – Paul Kruger is re-elected president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
May 9 – Paul Kruger is sworn in as president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
July 22 – Zulu King Cetshwayo barely escapes with his life in a rebel attack.
August 6 – The United States of Stellaland is established when the Republics of Stellaland and Goshen unite. 12 – The last Quagga in the world dies in captivity at the Artis Magistra zoo in Amsterdam, making the species extinct.
Births February – Z. D. Mangoaela, Basotho folklorist and writer (d. 1963) 6 August – Constance Georgina Adams, botanist (d. 1968)
Deaths 9 August – Robert Moffat, Scottish Congregationalist missionary. Died in Leigh near Tunbridge Wells, England.
Railways
Railway lines opened
5 May – Cape Western – Muizenberg to Kalkbaai, .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 31 December 1909. 14 May – Cape Western – Beaufort West to Victoria West Road, . 15 October – Cape Eastern – Queenstown to Sterkstroom, . 16 October – Cape Midland – Cradock to Colesberg, .
Locomotives Eighteen 3rd Class 4-4-0 tender passenger locomotives are delivered to the Cape Government Railways from Neilson and Company and placed in passenger service out of Cape Town, East London and Port Elizabeth respectively.
References