The following lists events that happened during 1959 in South Africa. Incumbents Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II. Governor-General: until 25 November: Ernest George Jansen. 25 November – 11 December: Lucas Cornelius Steyn. starting 11 December: Charles Robberts Swart. Prime Minister: Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd. Chief Justice: Henry Allan Fagan then Lucas Cornelius Steyn. Events April 5 – The Pan-Africanist Congress led by Robert Sobukwe secedes from the African National Congress. July 9 – Wing Commander Michael Beetham flying a Royal Air Force Vickers Valiant sets a record of 11 hours 27 minutes for a non-stop London-Cape Town flight. August 11 – Members of the United Party led by Helen Suzman secede and form the Progressive Party. December 1 – Twelve countries, including South Africa, the United States and the Soviet Union, sign the Antarctic Treaty. 11 – Charles Robberts Swart is appointed the 11th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. 12 – The 47th Annual Conference of the African National Congress takes place in Durban. Unknown date Papwa Sewgolum, a South African Indian golfer, wins the Dutch Open tournament. Births 1 January – Thulas Nxesi, national minister 7 January – Peter Mokaba, member of the South African parliament, deputy minister in the government of Nelson Mandela (d. 2002) 14 March – Tertius Bosch, cricketer. 16 March – Tito Mboweni, politician. 16 September – Dave Richardson (cricketer), cricketer. 18 November – Christine Barkhuizen le Roux, writer (d. 2020) Deaths April 15 – Leonard Beyers, South African army general (b. 1894) February 7 – D. F. Malan, South African politician, 4th Prime Minister of South Africa (b. 1874) April 15 – Leonard Beyers, South African army general (b. 1894) Railways Locomotives Three new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways. May–July – Seven Henschel type DH 1420 diesel-hydraulic locomotives. November – The first of 115 Class 32-000 General Electric type U18C1 diesel-electric locomotives in South West Africa. The first of 135 Class 5E1, Series 1 electric locomotives, an upgraded and more powerful version of the Class 5E. References History of South Africa