1923 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1923 in South Africa.

← 1922 1921 1920 1923 in South Africa → 1924 1925 1926
Decades:	1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Monarch: King George V.
• Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:
  • Prince Arthur of Connaught (until 5 December).^[1]
  • Sir James Rose Innes (acting, from 5 December).
• Prime Minister: Jan Smuts.
• Chief Justice: Sir James Rose Innes.

Events

March

• 1 – The Electricity Supply Commission (Eskom), largest electricity producer in Africa, is established.

Unknown date

• The South African Native National Congress changes its name to African National Congress.

Births

• 10 April – John Watkins, cricketer (d. 2021)
• 30 April – Francis Tucker, rally Driver. (d. 2008)
• 19 May – Johannes Meintjes, artist and writer. (d. 1980)
• 6 August – Moira Lister, South African-born English film, stage and television actress. (d. 2007)
• 5 October – Glynis Johns, South African-born Welsh actress. (d. 2024)
• 11 October – Moses Mabhida, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1986)
• 11 November – Pieter van der Byl, politician (d. 1999)
• 20 November – Nadine Gordimer, writer and political activist. (d. 2014)
• 17 December – Wilton Mkwayi, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 2004)

Deaths

• 10 October – Herman Gottfried Breijer, Dutch-born South African naturalist

Railways

Class GK

Road-rail tractor prototype

Gas-electric locomotive

Railway lines opened

• 12 April – Transvaal – Dunswart to Apex deviation, 4 miles 16 chains (6.8 kilometres).^[2]
• 21 May – Natal – Queen's Bridge to Duff's Road deviation, 5 miles 55 chains (9.2 kilometres).^[2]
• 8 July – Natal – Canelands, Umdloti to Maidstone deviation, 6 miles 74 chains (11.1 kilometres).^[2]
• 6 August – Cape – Kamfersdam to Winter's Rush, 34 miles 29 chains (55.3 kilometres).^[2]
• 9 August – Cape – Belmont to Douglas, 53 miles 22 chains (85.7 kilometres).^[2]
• 30 October – Transvaal – Settlers to Tuinplaas, 13 miles 22 chains (21.4 kilometres).^[2]

Locomotives

• The New Cape Central Railway places two 2-6-2+2-6-2 Double Prairie type Garratt articulated steam locomotives in service. They will be designated Class GK on the South African Railways (SAR) in 1925.^[3][4][5]
• Major Frank Dutton, SAR Signal Engineer and the Motor Transport Superintendent, conducts trials with a prototype petrol-paraffin powered Dutton road-rail tractor.^[5][6]
• Mr. C. Lawson, Superintendent Mechanical of the SAR, experiments with gas-electric motive power and constructs a single experimental producer gas-electric locomotive. The locomotive remains in service for several years but the gas-electric concept will eventually be superseded by diesel-electric traction.^[5][6][7]

References

1. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Governors-General: 1910-1961 (Accessed on 14 April 2017)
2. 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
3. Holland, D.F. (1971). Steam Locomotives of the South African Railways. Vol. 1: 1859–1910 (1st ed.). Newton Abbott, England: David & Charles. pp. 79–80. ISBN 978-0-7153-5382-0.
4. Hamilton, Gavin N., The Garratt Locomotive - Garratt Locomotives produced by Beyer, Peacock, retrieved 10 November 2012
5. Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 93–94, 118–119. ISBN 0869772112.
6. 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, October 1945. pp. 782-783.
7. Heymans, Brig. H.B.; Parsley, Dr. G.M.J. (2000).The SAR Experimental Suction Gas-Electric Locomotive. Paper dated 28 September 2000.