1879 in South Africa

Decades:	1850s; 1860s; 1870s; 1880s; 1890s;
See also:	; List of years in South Africa;

The following lists events that happened during 1879 in South Africa.

Incumbents

11 – Britain declares war against the Zulus and launches the Anglo-Zulu War after an ultimatum issued on 11 December 1878 is rejected.
22 – The Zulus wipe out British forces in the Battle of Isandlwana.
22-23 – The British prevail against a Zulu attack in the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

7 – The first British troops arrive in Durban from all over the Empire.
12 – A force of 2,000 Zulus attacks a British camp at Ntombi River. Of the 60 men in the camp, only 15 escape.

4 May – William Froude, engineer, hydrodynamicist and naval architect, dies in Simon's Town
1 June – Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial is killed in action when ambushed by Zulus during the Anglo-Zulu War.

March – Natal – Pinetown to Botha's Hill, 14 miles 6 chains (22.7 kilometres).^[1]
11 August – Cape Western – Grootfontein to Fraserburg Road, 52 miles 41 chains (84.5 kilometres).^[2]
26 August – Cape Midland – Mount Stewart to Graaff-Reinet, 72 miles 18 chains (116.2 kilometres).^[2]
1 September – Natal – Avoca to Verulam, 12 miles 2 chains (19.4 kilometres).^[1]
3 September – Cape Midland – Alicedale to Grahamstown, 34 miles 71 chains (56.1 kilometres).^[2]
17 September – Cape Midland – Alicedale to Middleton, 38 miles 3 chains (61.2 kilometres).^[2]
3 November – Cape Eastern – Döhne to Cathcart, 42 miles 48 chains (68.6 kilometres).^[2]

Two new 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Cape Government Railways (CGR):
- The first four of fifteen 1st Class 4-4-0 American type passenger locomotives on the Western and Eastern systems.^[3]^: 30–31^[4]
- The first six of ten 1st Class 2-6-0 Mogul type goods locomotives on the Western system.^[3]^: 28–30^[4]
The Table Bay Harbour Board places its fourth 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge 0-4-0 well-tank engine in excavation and breakwater construction service.^[5]^{: 115–117}

The Natal Government Railways places seven 2-6-0T locomotives in service, later to be modified to a 4-6-0T wheel arrangement and designated Class G.^[6]
The Natal Harbours Department in Durban places a single 0-6-0 saddle-tank locomotive in service, named John Milne.^[5]^{: 126–127}

^ ^a ^b Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 181, ref. no. 200954-13
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e 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.
^ ^a ^b Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
^ ^a ^b C.G.R. Numbering Revised, Article by Dave Littley, SA Rail May–June 1993, pp. 94–95.
^ ^a ^b Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
^ NGR Class G numbering