The following lists events that happened during 1885 in South Africa.
Incumbents
Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Hercules Robinson. Governor of the Colony of Natal: Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer. State President of the Orange Free State: Jan Brand. State President of the South African Republic: Paul Kruger. Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: Thomas Upington.
Events
February
26 – The Berlin Conference ends and the Scramble for Africa begins.
September
30 – A British force abolishes the Boer republic of Stellaland and adds it to British Bechuanaland.
November
28 – The railway line from Cape Town to Kimberley is completed.
Births
31 January – Marthinus Johannes de Jong, landscape painter, is born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Deaths
Railways
Railway lines opened
2 September – Cape Eastern – Molteno to Aliwal North, . 28 November – Cape Western – Oranjerivier to Kimberley, .< 21 December – Natal – Merrivale to Estcourt, .