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← 1871 1870 1869 1872 in South Africa → 1873 1874 1875
Decades:	1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1872 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Henry Barkly.
• Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal:
  • Robert William Keate (until 18 July).
  • Sir Anthony Musgrave (from 19 July).
• State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand.
• State President of the South African Republic:
  • Daniel Jacobus Erasmus (acting until 30 June).
  • Thomas François Burgers (from 1 July).
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: Sir John Molteno (from 1 December).

Events

July

• 1 – Thomas François Burgers becomes State President of the South African Republic.
• 19 – Sir Anthony Musgrave becomes Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal.

December

• 1 – Responsible government is granted to the Cape of Good Hope and the British Governor's powers are significantly curtailed.
• 1 – Sir John Molteno, first Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope, forms the first Cape Cabinet.

Unknown date

• The Cape Government Railways is established under Cape Act 10 and takes over the operation of all private railways in the Colony, consisting of altogether 63 miles 26 chains (101.9 kilometres) of track from Cape Town via Stellenbosch to Wellington and from Salt River to Wynberg.
• The Cape Colony Government protests against the British annexation of Griqualand West, which is incorporated as a separate British colony.
• The Voluntary Bill is passed in the Cape, abolishing state subsidies for the Anglican Church.

Births

Deaths

• 1 September – Robert Gray, first Bishop of Cape Town. (b. 1809)

Railways

New lines

• Construction begins on the Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage line.

References

1. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, Orange Free State: Heads of State: 1854-1902 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
2. ^ Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices, South African Republic (Transvaal): Heads of State: 1857-1877 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
3. ^ First Cape Cabinet Formed - John Molteno Premier (Accessed on 16 April 2017)
4. 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.
5. 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 31 December 1909.
6. Pioneer, Little Bess & Mliss

• 1872 in South Africa
• Years of the 19th century in South Africa
• 1872 by country
• 1872 in Africa
• 1870s in South Africa