1931 in South Africa
# 1931 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1931 in South Africa.

## Incumbents

* Monarch: King George V.
* Governor-General:
   * Jacob de Villiers (until 26 January).
   * The Earl of Clarendon (starting 26 January)
* Prime Minister: James Barry Munnik Hertzog.
* Chief Justice: Jacob de Villiers.

## Events

### January

* 26 – George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon, is appointed the 5th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.

### December

* 11 – The Statute of Westminster establishes a status of legislative equality between the self-governing dominions of the Commonwealth of Australia, Canada, Irish Free State, Dominion of Newfoundland, Dominion of New Zealand and Union of South Africa.

## Births

* 21 January – Joseph Engenas Matlhakanye Lekganyane, founder of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church.
* 26 February – Isaac Lesiba Maphotho, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 2019)
* 10 March – Raymond Ackerman, businessman, founder of Pick 'n Pay supermarket group.
* 19 April – Kobie Coetsee, politician, in Ladybrand. (d. 2000)
* 5 July – Ismail Mahomed, South African and Namibian Chief Justice. (d. 2000)
* 15 July – Gene Louw, politician.
* 27 September – Thandi Klaasen, jazz musician (d. 2017).
* 4 October – Basil D'Oliveira, cricketer (d. 2011)
* 7 October – Desmond Tutu, social rights activist and Anglican bishop, in Klerksdorp (d. 2021).
* 24 November – Arthur Chaskalson, President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa & Chief Justice of South Africa.
* 12 December – Jafta Masemola, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1994)
* 31 December – Dorothy Nyembe, activist and politician (d. 1998).

## Deaths

* 9 January – Second Boer War General Johannes Gerhardus Celliers at age 70.
* 24 January – Sir Percy FitzPatrick, author, politician and mining financier. (b. 1862)
* 24 October – Sir Murray Bisset, South African cricketer and Governor of Southern Rhodesia (b. 1876)

## Railways

### Railway lines opened

* 3 June – Cape – Molteno to Jamestown, 41 miles 72 chains (67.4 kilometres).
* 1 July – Natal – Chailey to Mount Alida, 25 miles 33 chains (40.9 kilometres).
* 1 July – Natal – Greyville Cabin to Berea Road, 1 mile 36 chains (2.3 kilometres).

### Locomotives

Two new narrow gauge steam locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways (SAR):

* A single light Class NG G14 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt locomotive.
* Three 2-8-2 Mikado locomotives for the Otavi Mining and Railway Company in South West Africa. In 1960 they would become the Class NG15 Apple Express Kalaharis on the narrow gauge Avontuur Railway.

## Sports

### Rugby

* 19 December – The South African Springboks beat Ireland 8–3 in Ireland.
