1905 in South Africa

Decades:	1880s; 1890s; 1900s; 1910s; 1920s;
See also:	; List of years in South Africa;

The following lists events that happened during 1905 in South Africa.

Incumbents

26 – The Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond in the world at 3,106 carats (621.2 g), is discovered by Captain Frederick Wells at Cullinan.

3 February – Herman Charles Bosman, writer and journalist, is born at Kuilsrivier, Cape Town. (d. 1951)
8 April – Helen Joseph, activist, is born in Sussex, England. (d. 1992)
5 July – Jock Cameron, cricketer. (d. 1935)
9 August – Moses Kotane, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1978)
2 September – Harry Hart, athlete. (d. 1979)
4 September – Eileen Mary Challans, writer is born in Essex, England. (d. 1983)

1 February – Free State – Springfontein to Jagersfontein, 48 miles 13 chains (77.5 kilometres).^[1]
1 March – Free State – Aberfeldy to Bethlehem, 44 miles 10 chains (71.0 kilometres).^[1]
27 March – Transvaal – Rayton to Cullinan, 6 miles (9.7 kilometres).^[1]
1 May – Cape Western – Hutchinson to Pampoenpoort, 48 miles 28 chains (77.8 kilometres).^[2]
18 May – Cape Eastern – Xalanga to Elliot, 19 miles 27 chains (31.1 kilometres).^[2]
1 August – Transvaal – Klerksdorp to Vierfontein (Free State), 17 miles 15 chains (27.7 kilometres).^[1]
19 September – Cape Western – De Aar to Prieska, 112 miles 8 chains (180.4 kilometres).^[2]
1 November – Cape Eastern – Komga to Eagle, 27 miles 4 chains (43.5 kilometres).^[2]
1 November – Cape Midland – Humewood Road to Humansdorp (Narrow gauge), 68 miles 57 chains (110.6 kilometres).^[2]
1 November – Natal – Elandskop to Donnybrook, 42 miles 38 chains (68.4 kilometres).^[1]
2 November – Cape Eastern – Aliwal North to Lady Grey, 39 miles 65 chains (64.1 kilometres).^[2]
1 December – Cape Western – Cape Town to Sea Point, 3 miles 51 chains (5.9 kilometres).^[1]^[2]
16 December – Cape Western – Van der Stel to Strand, 2 miles 6 chains (3.3 kilometres).^[2]
16 December – Free State – Modderpoort to Ladybrand, 7 miles (11.3 kilometres).^[1]

18 December – Free State – Marseilles to Maseru in Basutoland, 16 miles 32 chains (26.4 kilometres).^[1]
20 December – Transvaal – Springs to Breyten, 121 miles 78 chains (196.3 kilometres).^[1]
22 December – Free State – Dover to Parys, 20 miles 18 chains (32.5 kilometres).^[1]

A single 0-4-2 tank locomotive named Britannia is placed in service by the Cape Copper Company as a shunting engine at Port Nolloth in the Cape Colony.^[3]

The Natal Government Railways places two Class A 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives in service, designed by Locomotive Superintendent D.A. Hendrie for passenger traffic on the mainline between Ladysmith and Charlestown. In 1912 they will be designated Class 2 on the South African Railways (SAR).^[4]

The Central South African Railways places two four-cylinder rack tank steam locomotives in service on the section between Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven, but they are underpowered and prove to be failures in rack service.^[5]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 185, ref. no. 200954-13
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Report for year ending 31 December 1909, Cape Government Railways, Section VIII - Dates of Opening and the Length of the different Sections in the Cape Colony, from the Year 1873 to 31st December, 1909.
^ Bagshawe, Peter (2012). Locomotives of the Namaqualand Railway and Copper Mines (1st ed.). Stenvalls. pp. 25–28. ISBN 978-91-7266-179-0.
^ Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0869772112.
^ Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 135–137. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.