1916 in South Africa
# 1916 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1916 in South Africa.

## Incumbents

* Monarch: King George V.
* Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: The Viscount Buxton.
* Prime Minister: Louis Botha.
* Chief Justice: James Rose Innes

## Events

### February

* 12 – In the Battle of Salaita Hill, South African and other British Empire troops fail to take a German East African defensive position.

### July

* 14-16 – During the Battle of Delville Wood, 766 men from the South African Brigade are killed in South Africa's biggest loss in the First World War.

### September

* 4 – Dar es Salaam surrenders to British Empire forces.

## Births

* 12 January – P.W. Botha, politician, Prime Minister and State President. (d. 2006)
* 15 January – Rachel Alida de Toit, actor who performed under the name Lydia Lindeque. (d. 1997)
* 28 March – Abraham Manie Adelstein, South African-born Chief Medical Statistician of the United Kingdom. (d. 1992)
* 1 July – Thomas Hamilton-Brown, boxer. (d. 1981)

## Deaths

* 5 June – The Earl Kitchener, British military commander during the Second Boer War. (b. 1850)
* 28 November – Martinus Theunis Steyn, last State President of the Orange Free State. (b. 1857)

## Railways

### Railway lines opened

* 18 February – Transvaal – Morgenzon to Amersfoort, 27 miles 72 chains (44.9 kilometres).
* 25 May – Natal – Boughton to Cedara deviation, 11 miles 65 chains (19.0 kilometres).
* 5 June – Transvaal – Volksrust to Amersfoort, 50 miles 37 chains (81.2 kilometres).
* 30 June – Free State – Aliwal North (Cape) to Zastron, 55 miles 33 chains (89.2 kilometres).
* 31 July – Free State – Vierfontein to Bothaville, 23 miles 6 chains (37.1 kilometres).
* 18 September – Cape – Idutywa to Umtata, 71 miles 13 chains (114.5 kilometres).
* 2 October – Cape – Williston to Kootjieskolk, 38 miles 57 chains (62.3 kilometres).
* 18 October – Transvaal – Delareyville to Pudimoe (Cape), 79 miles 2 chains (127.2 kilometres).
* November – Cape – Ascot to Tygerberg, 1 mile (1.6 kilometres).
* 24 November – Natal – Donnybrook to Underberg, 38 miles 69 chains (62.5 kilometres).

### Locomotives

* The South African Railways places six Class NG10 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotives in service on the Langkloof narrow gauge line.
