1865 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1865 in South Africa.

← 1864 1863 1862 1865 in South Africa → 1866 1867 1868
Decades:	1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Philip Wodehouse.
• Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal:
  • John Maclean (until 25 July).
  • Sir John Thomas (acting from 26 July to 25 August).
  • Sir John Bisset (acting from 26 August).
• State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand.
• President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius.

Events

July

• 26 – Sir John Thomas becomes acting Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal.

August

• 26 – Sir John Bisset becomes acting Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal.

Date unknown

• Ostriches are domesticated.
• Economic depression hits South Africa.
• War breaks out for the second time between the Orange Free State and Basothos.

Births

• 12 January – Jan F. E. Celliers, poet, writer and dramatist. (d. 1940)
• 20 August – Bernard Tancred, cricketer. (d. 1911)

Deaths

Natal Railway 0-4-0ST "Durban"

• 13 August – Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg, second President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic. (b. 1818)
• Date unknown – Louw Wepener, military leader in the Orange Free State. (b. 1812)

Railways

Locomotives

• The Natal Railway Company obtains a 0-4-0 saddle-tank locomotive from Kitson and Company. The Natal Railway's second locomotive is named Durban.