The following lists events that happened during 1862 in South Africa.
Incumbents Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Robert Wynyard (acting until 14 January). Sir Philip Wodehouse (from 15 January). Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal: John Scott. State President of the Orange Free State: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius.Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, Orange Free State: Heads of State: 1854-1902 (Accessed on 14 April 2017) President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: Stephanus Schoeman (acting until 17 April).Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, South African Republic (Transvaal): Heads of State: 1857-1877 (Accessed on 14 April 2017) Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg (acting from 18 April).
Events January 15 – Sir Philip Wodehouse becomes Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa.
April 18 – W. C. Janse van Rensburg becomes acting President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic.
October 2 – A breakwater construction locomotive for Table Bay Harbour arrives on the ship Navarino.Table Bay Harbour construction locomotives 9 – The Transvaal Civil War breaks out following Stephanus Schoeman's unconstitutional ousting of the acting President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic on 6 December 1860.Stormvoël van die Noorde by O JO Ferreira; Jan Viljoen – 'n Transvaalse Wesgrenspionier (unpublished MA dissertation); documents and notes from the Jack Seale collection.
Unknown date Standard Bank of British South Africa Limited is established in London.
Railways
Railway lines opened 1 May – Cape Western – Cape Town to Stellenbosch, .Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 181, ref. no. 200954-13
Locomotives The Table Bay Harbour Board acquires a single broad-gauge locomotive, builder or appearance unknown, for excavation and breakwater construction work.
Births 24 July - Percy FitzPatrick, author, politician, mining financier and fruit industry pioneer. (d. 1931) 27 September – Louis Botha, Boer general and politician. (d. 1919)
References