The following lists events that happened during 1924 in South Africa. Incumbents Monarch: King George V. Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Prince Arthur of Connaught (until 20 January). The Earl of Athlone (from 21 January). Prime Minister: Jan Smuts (until 29 June). J.B.M. Hertzog (from 30 June). Chief Justice: James Rose Innes. Events January 21 – Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone is appointed the 4th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. March 5 – The first one-day flight between Cape Town and Pretoria takes place. June 30 – J.B.M. Hertzog becomes the third Prime Minister of South Africa. Unknown date The Taung Child is discovered. Births 23 February – Allan Cormack, South African-American physicist and 1979 Nobel Prize laureate. (d. 1998) 14 July – Stephen Fry, Springbok rugby captain. (d. 2002) 26 July – Elias Motsoaledi, political activist. (d. 1994) 8 September – Hazel Brooks, actress (d. 2002) 28 November – Dennis Brutus, poet and anti-apartheid activist. (d. 2009) 5 December – Robert Sobukwe, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1978) Deaths Railways Railway lines opened 16 April – Free State – Wepener to Zastron, . 19 April – Cape – Klipdale to Bredasdorp, . 1 May – Transvaal – Balfour North to Grootvlei, . 16 June – Cape – Pinelands to Langa, . 24 July – Free State – Heilbron to Petrus Steyn, . 10 September – Transvaal – Lydenburg to Steelpoort, . 19 September – South West Africa – Gobabis Junction in Windhoek to Ondekaremba, . 22 September – Transvaal – Naboomspruit to Singlewood, . 3 November – Cape – Franklin to Kokstad, . 4 November – Cape – Franklin to Matatiele, . 14 November – Cape – Oudtshoorn to Calitzdorp, . 15 December – Cape – Touws River to Kareevlakte, . 15 December – Transvaal – Hercules to Schoemansville, . Locomotives The first of six Class GC branchline 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt articulated locomotives. A single Class ES1 battery-powered shunting locomotive at the construction site of the Colenso power station. References South Africa Years in South Africa History of South Africa