1939 in South Africa

none August 2020 October 2013 1939 The following lists events that happened during 1939 in South Africa. Incumbents Monarch: King George VI. Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Sir Patrick Duncan (starting 5 April). Prime Minister: James Barry Munnik Hertzog (until 5 September), Jan Christiaan Smuts (starting 5 September). Chief Justice: James Stratford. Events September 2 – J. B. M. Hertzog puts his case to the National Assembly for South Africa to remain neutral in the Second World War, against Jan Smuts who supports a Commonwealth alliance. 4 – Jan Smuts becomes the 4th Prime Minister of South Africa for the second time. 5 – The National Assembly votes on a motion whether or not to join the war and Jan Smuts wins by 13 votes. 6 – The Union of South Africa declares war on Germany. Unknown date The University of Pretoria's official university newspaper, Die Perdeby, is established.http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=9792 University of Pretoria Historical Overview Retrieved 1 October 2010 25 June 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120401175118/http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=9792 1 April 2012 dead Births 9 February – Janet Suzman, actress 6 March – Lina Spies, Afrikaans poet and academic. 18 March – John W. de Gruchy, academic. 25 March – Pius Langa, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. 4 April – Hugh Masekela, jazz musician (d. 2018) 12 April – Lyall Watson, marine biologist (d. 2008) 21 June – Essop Pahad, politician. 7 July – Gilbert Ramano, military commander (d. 2025) 12 August – David King, chemist 19 August – Caiphus Semenya, composer and musician. 14 September – Mary Twala, actress, mother of TV personality, Somizi Mhlongo (d. 2020) 16 September – Breyten Breytenbach, dissident poet (d. 2024) 27 September – Lydia Mokgokoloshi, actress 16 September – Breyten Breytenbach, writer and painter. 16 October – Tertius Delport, lawyer and politician (d. 2023) 26 October – Karel Schoeman, novelist (d. 2017) 25 November – Janette Deacon, archaeologist specialising in rock art conservation Deaths 16 October – Charlotte Maxeke, religious leader and political activist. (b. 1871) Railways thumb|Class DS1 Locomotives The first two diesel-electric locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways (SAR): A single Class DS AEG shunting engine enters service at the Congella yards near Durban.122, 136–137 A second shunting locomotive, the Class DS1, enters SAR service while another is delivered to the Electricity Supply Commission. The Hollandse Anneming Maatschappij, constructors of a new Table Bay harbour, imports a small 0-4-0T locomotive as on-site construction engine, later employed as SAR dock shunter.124–125 Sports 3 March – In Durban, the Timeless Test begins between England and South Africa, the longest game of cricket ever played. It is abandoned twelve days later when the English team has to catch the ship for home.http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/engine/match/62657.html England in South Africa Test Series - 5th Test 20 December 2014 ESPN Cricinfo References 30em 1939 in collapsed