title: 1920 in South Africa
text: # 1920 in South Africa
  
  The following lists events that happened during 1920 in South Africa.
  
  ## Incumbents
  
  * Monarch: King George V
  * Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:
     * The Viscount Buxton (until 19 November).
     * Prince Arthur of Connaught (from 20 November).
  * Prime Minister: Jan Smuts.
  * Chief Justice: James Rose Innes.
  
  ## Events
  
  ### January
  
  * 10 – The League of Nations is established as the Treaty of Versailles goes into effect.
  
  ### February
  
  * 1 – The South African Air Force (SAAF) is established, the second autonomous Air Force in the world after the Royal Air Force (RAF).
  
  ### November
  
  * 20 – Prince Arthur of Connaught is appointed the 3rd Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.
  
  ### December
  
  * 17 – South Africa is granted a League of Nations Class C mandate over South West Africa.
  
  ## Births
  
  * 12 February – Raymond Mhlaba, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 2005)
  * 20 February – Zoe Gail, singer and actress. (d. 2020)
  * 9 March – Robert Resha, journalist and political dissident. (d. 1974)
  * 20 March – Lionel Bernstein, anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner (d. 2002)
  * 8 April – Vuyisile Mini, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1964)
  * 12 May – Gerald Stapleton, Battle of Britain fighter pilot. (d. 2010)
  * 11 June – David Millin, movie director, producer, and cinematographer. (d. 1999)
  * 11 July – Edison Ntsanwisi, politician and Chief Minister of Gazankulu. (d. 1993)
  * 30 July – Harry Gwala, anti-apartheid activist and politician. (d. 1995)
  * 8 August – Nimrod Sejake, labour leader and activist. (d. 2004)
  * 11 September – Hymie Barsel, political activist. (d. 1987)
  * 12 September – Michiel Daniel Overbeek, amateur astronomer and prolific variable star observers. (d. 2001)
  * 24 December – Richard Maponya, entrepreneur and property developer. (d. 2020)
  
  ## Deaths
  
  * 11 December – Olive Schreiner, author and feminist, in Cape Town. (b. 1855)
  
  ## Railways
  
  ### Locomotives
  
  * The South African Railways places thirty Class 12B 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotives in mainline service.
  