1886 in South Africa

	1886 in South Africa
1883 1884 1885 « 1886 » 1887 1888 1889
List of years in South Africa

Events

September

• The main gold reef on the Witwatersrand is discovered, giving birth to Ferreira's Camp, later to be named Johannesburg.

October

• 11 – The Standard Bank of South Africa opens the first bank in Ferreira's Camp.

Births

• 13 December – Henry Selby Msimang, political activist, journalist, court interpreter and lay preacher, is born in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg.

Deaths

• 1 September – Sir John Charles Molteno, first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

Railways

Railway lines opened

Namaqualand 0-4-0WT Condenser

• 21 June – Natal – Estcourt to Ladysmith, 45 miles 21 chains (72.8 kilometres).^[1]

Locomotives

• The first of three 0-4-0 well-tank condensing locomotives is placed in service by the Cape Copper Mining Company on its 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep in the Cape Colony. They are the first condensing steam locomotives in South Africa.^[2]

References

1. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 182, ref. no. 200954-13
2. Bagshawe, Peter (2012). Locomotives of the Namaqualand Railway and Copper Mines (1st ed.). Stenvalls. pp. 8–15. ISBN 978-91-7266-179-0.