1917 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1917 in South Africa.

← 1916 1915 1914 1917 in South Africa → 1918 1919 1920
Decades:	1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Monarch: King George V.
• Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: The Viscount Buxton.[1]
• Prime Minister: Louis Botha.
• Chief Justice: James Rose Innes

Events

January

• 16 – The SS Mendi, a troopship, sets sail from Cape Town to Le Havre, France, transporting 823 members of the 802nd South African Native Labour Corps.[2]

February

• 21 – The SS Mendi is struck on the starboard side by the SS Darro, an 11,000 ton liner, and sinks with the loss of 646 lives.[2]

September

• The Industrial Workers of Africa, South Africa's first predominantly black trade union, is established in Johannesburg.

Unknown date

• The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town is handed over to the South African Defence Force.
• Gold mining company Anglo American Corporation is founded by Ernest Oppenheimer.

Births

• 27 October – Oliver Tambo, activist and revolutionary. (d. 1993)
• 20 December – Petrus Hugo, Second World War fighter pilot. (d. 1986)

Deaths

• 18 January – Andrew Murray, author, educationist and pastor. (b. 1828)

Railways

Class 16B

Katanga Mikado

Railway lines opened

• 5 March – Natal – Izingolweni to Harding (narrow gauge), 39 miles 56 chains (63.9 kilometres).[3]
• 20 June – Natal – Gingindlovu to Eshowe, 20 miles 2 chains (32.2 kilometres).[3]

Locomotives

• Three new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways (SAR):
  • November – Ten Class 16B 4-6-2 Pacific type passenger steam locomotives.[4]
  • Seven Class K 4-6-4 tank locomotives that had been built for the Philippines but could not be delivered.[4]
  • At least four 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotives, built for the Chemins de Fer du Bas Congo à Katanga and obtained on temporary lease to alleviate the critical wartime shortage of locomotives.[4][5]

References

1. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Governors-General: 1910-1961 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
2. SA Legion – Atteridgeville Branch. "The SS Mendi – A Historical Background". Navy News. South African Navy. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
3. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 188, ref. no. 200954-13
4. Holland, D. F. (1972). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. 2: 1910-1955 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, Devon: David & Charles. pp. 32–34. ISBN 978-0-7153-5427-8.
5. Espitalier, T.J.; Day, W.A.J. (1945). The Locomotive in South Africa - A Brief History of Railway Development. Chapter VII - South African Railways (Continued). South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, September 1945. p. 673.