Transvaal Railway Opens

The opening of the railway from Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) to the Transvaal border on June 21, 1877, represented a major milestone in southern African infrastructure. Built to 3 ft 6 in Cape gauge, it facilitated gold and mineral exports from the interior to the port, involving key figures like President Paul Kruger who championed the project. Engineers faced malaria-ridden lowlands and rugged escarpments, using imported British locomotives. This line laid groundwork for the modern Mozambique-South Africa rail corridor and boosted regional trade during the mineral revolution.