1920 in South Africa
# 1920 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1920 in South Africa.

## Incumbents

* Monarch: King George V
* Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:
   * The Viscount Buxton (until 19 November).
   * Prince Arthur of Connaught (from 20 November).
* Prime Minister: Jan Smuts.
* Chief Justice: James Rose Innes.

## Events

### January

* 10 – The League of Nations is established as the Treaty of Versailles goes into effect.

### February

* 1 – The South African Air Force (SAAF) is established, the second autonomous Air Force in the world after the Royal Air Force (RAF).

### November

* 20 – Prince Arthur of Connaught is appointed the 3rd Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.

### December

* 17 – South Africa is granted a League of Nations Class C mandate over South West Africa.

## Births

* 12 February – Raymond Mhlaba, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 2005)
* 20 February – Zoe Gail, singer and actress. (d. 2020)
* 9 March – Robert Resha, journalist and political dissident. (d. 1974)
* 20 March – Lionel Bernstein, anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner (d. 2002)
* 8 April – Vuyisile Mini, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1964)
* 12 May – Gerald Stapleton, Battle of Britain fighter pilot. (d. 2010)
* 11 June – David Millin, movie director, producer, and cinematographer. (d. 1999)
* 11 July – Edison Ntsanwisi, politician and Chief Minister of Gazankulu. (d. 1993)
* 30 July – Harry Gwala, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1995)
* 8 August – Nimrod Sejake, labour leader and activist. (d. 2004)
* 11 September – Hymie Barsel, political activist. (d. 1987)
* 12 September – Michiel Daniel Overbeek, amateur astronomer and prolific variable star observers. (d. 2001)
* 24 December – Richard Maponya, entrepreneur and property developer. (d. 2020)

## Deaths

* 11 December – Olive Schreiner, author and feminist, in Cape Town. (b. 1855)

## Railways

### Locomotives

* The South African Railways places thirty Class 12B 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotives in mainline service.
