1866 in South Africa

← 1865 1864 1863 1866 in South Africa → 1867 1868 1869
Decades:	1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1866 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: Sir John Bisset (acting).
• State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand.^[1]
• President of the Executive Council of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (until 21 October).^[2]
• State President of the South African Republic: Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (from 22 October).^[2]

Events

March

• 1 – Stellenbosch Gymnasium is opened, later to be renamed Stellenbosch University.

October

• 22 – The office of State President of the South African Republic is created by constitutional amendment approved at a session of the Volksraad.^[2]

Unknown date

• India officially stops sending Indian labourers to Natal.
• Erasmus Jacobs discovers the 21.25 carats (4.250 g) Eureka Diamond near Hopetown on the banks of the Orange River in the Cape of Good Hope.

Births

• 3 April – J.B.M. Hertzog, Boer General and 3rd Prime Minister of South Africa. (d. 1942)

Deaths

Main article: deaths in 1866

Further information: Category:1866 deaths

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)