Misplaced Pages

← 1919 1918 1917 1920 in South Africa → 1921 1922 1923
Decades:	1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1920 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• Monarch: King George V
• Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:
  • The Viscount Buxton (until 19 November).
  • Prince Arthur of Connaught (from 20 November).
• Prime Minister: Jan Smuts.
• Chief Justice: James Rose Innes.

Events

January

• 10 – The League of Nations is established as the Treaty of Versailles goes into effect.

February

• 1 – The South African Air Force (SAAF) is established, the second autonomous Air Force in the world after the Royal Air Force (RAF).

November

• 20 – Prince Arthur of Connaught is appointed the 3rd Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.

December

• 17 – South Africa is granted a League of Nations Class C mandate over South West Africa.

Births

• 12 February – Raymond Mhlaba, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 2005)
• 20 February – Zoe Gail, singer and actress. (d. 2020)
• 9 March – Robert Resha, journalist and political dissident. (d. 1974)
• 20 March – Lionel Bernstein, anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner (d. 2002)
• 8 April – Vuyisile Mini, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1964)
• 12 May – Gerald Stapleton, Battle of Britain fighter pilot. (d. 2010)
• 11 June – David Millin, movie director, producer, and cinematographer. (d. 1999)
• 11 July – Edison Ntsanwisi, politician and Chief Minister of Gazankulu. (d. 1993)
• 30 July – Harry Gwala, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1995)
• 8 August – Nimrod Sejake, labour leader and activist. (d. 2004)
• 11 September – Hymie Barsel, political activist. (d. 1987)
• 12 September – Michiel Daniel Overbeek, amateur astronomer and prolific variable star observers. (d. 2001)
• 24 December – Richard Maponya, entrepreneur and property developer. (d. 2020)

Deaths

• 11 December – Olive Schreiner, author and feminist, in Cape Town. (b. 1855)

Railways

Locomotives

• The South African Railways places thirty Class 12B 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotives in mainline service.

References

1. ^ Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Governors-General: 1910-1961 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
2. Nöthling, Kol C.J., Martins, Maj du P. (1990). Kroniek van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag (1920-1990), (1st ed.). Direktoraat Openbare Betrekkinge, SAW. Uitgewer: Staatsdrukkery, Pretoria. Gedruk deur Promedia Drukkers, Posbus 255, Silverton, 0127.
3. Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 54–56. ISBN 0869772112.
4. Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 38–41. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.

v t e Years in South Africa (1901–present)
1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

• 1920 in South Africa
• Years of the 20th century in South Africa
• 1920 by country
• Years in South Africa