1890 in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Henry Brougham Loch.
• Governor of the Colony of Natal: Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell.
• State President of the Orange Free State: Francis William Reitz.
• State President of the South African Republic: Paul Kruger.
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: John Gordon Sprigg, Cecil John Rhodes.

  Events

• 17 - The first railway line in the Transvaal, known as the Randtram, is opened for service between Boksburg and Braamfontein in Johannesburg.

• 6 - Magadu Bhambada becomes chief of the AmaZondi people at the age of 25 after the death of his father and uncle.
• 23 June - President Paul Kruger of the South African Republic institutes a Second Volksraad which is responsible for controlling local matters.

• 17 - Cecil Rhodes becomes Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

  Births

• 26 October - Percy Hansen, Danish soldier in British service, recipient of the Victoria Cross.

  Deaths

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February - Cape Western - Somerset West to Sir Lowry's Pass Village,.
• 28 March - Natal - Glencoe Junction to Talana,.
• 15 May - Natal - Glencoe Junction to Newcastle,.
• 13 October - Transvaal - Braamfontein to Springs,.
• 17 November - Transvaal - Braamfontein to Roodepoort,.
• 1 December - Cape Western - Kalkbaai to Simon's Town,.
• 1 December - Cape Western - Kimberley to Vryburg,.
• 17 December - Cape Midland - Colesberg Junction to Norvalspont bridge,.
• 17 December - Free State - Norvalspont bridge to Bloemfontein,.

  Locomotives

• The Cape Government Railways places twenty 5th Class 4-6-0 tender locomotives in mainline service on its Midland and Western Systems.
• The first of four Clara Class 0-6-2 tender locomotives are placed in service by the Cape Copper Company on its narrow gauge Namaqualand Railway between Port Nolloth and O'okiep.

• The Nederlandsche-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatschappij of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek places six 18 Tonner saddle-tank locomotives in service on construction work on the Delagoa Bay line.