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All too often, old, even valuable, writings on Namibia have been forgotten by a new generation, yet much of that literature has been rendered empirically narrow or analytically stale by social struggles.
The most cursory glance at contemporary literature on Namibia confirms one of the most colonial traditions we have which states that ‘history’ only really begins with the colonisers. However, for most of the people of Nama, Herero and Ovamboland, the year 1884 did not mean much at all. The history of Namibia covers approximately the last 28 000 years. Even the 19th century represents a continuity of processes wich were fundamentally altered only by the great wars 1904 – 1910. Namaland commando groups, Herero and Ovambo chieftaincies or polities, missionaries, traders, British colonial agents, were involved in networks of interaction which had developed indepently from any annexation efforts by Germany, and it was these dynamics that continued to shape the history of Namibia.
The literature on the 19th century which we do have can be broadly divided into two categories: a very substantial number of apologetic works written from a colonial or ruling class perspective and a very small number of work written with the interest of the colonised in mind, thus encompassing an Africanist or historical materialist perspective. In the best colonial style which says that the ‘natives’ don’t have a history but are rather exotic species, many of the studies contain genealogies of powerful families, praise poems of chiefs and certain coveted places. Much of the literature tends to confine itself with immediate pre-colonial period. This attitude is partly intentional and sometimes unintentional. Intentional in the sense that the European colonisers are usually happy to have it on record that, they discovered Namibia in a state of vacuum. This being the justification of the usurpation.
Nothing, however, can be further from the truth. In the centuries before colonial occupation, Namibia was inhabited by African people. In the process of colonisation, Namibians lost their land, lost ownership and control over the natural resources, which are our national heritage; they were reduced to mere labour units herded into fascistic labour reservoirs (native reserves), without freedom of choice, that is, the right to self determination. Frankly said, Namibians became slaves in the land of their birth.
Namibia has a rich history. In African comunities this history has been passed over from generation to generation until such a time it was documented.
Before Europeans ever set foot on the Namibian soil, the territory was buzzing with activity. Diogo Cao was the first European to reach the Namibian shores in 1485 when he briefly stopped over at the Skeleton Coast. Bartholomeus Dias was the second European to set foot on the Namibian soil. He stopped at Walvisbay while on his way to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.
During the 1800’s the Germans took control of South West Africa (SWA). Before independence Namibia was known as South West Africa (SWA), named after its geographic position.
During that time the Germans confiscated large areas of farmland, cattle and handed it over to the white farmers. Overall the Germans oppressed the Namibian people. Many Namibians faced poverty and starvation during this time. On 12 January 1904 Namibian people, especially the Herero and Nama communities, started to take up arms against the German colonial rule. This struggle was known as the ‘War of National Resistance.’ Enraged by the Herero rebellion, Von Trotha issued a proclamation that proved disastrous for the Herero people, leading to the Namibia genocide.
From 1884 until 1915 South West Africa was a German colony. The First World War started in 1914 in Europe between Britain and Germany. During the First World War these countries, were competing against each other to gain control of the colonies in Africa. When the First World War started SWA was still a German colony of the German Empire and South Africa was a part of the British Empire. In May 1915 South African troops defeated the German troops and took control of SWA.
On 19 July 1915, the last German troops defending the colony of South West Africa surrendered to the numerically superior South African forces at Khorab, ending thirty years of German colonial rule and initiating a new phase in Namibia history.
The goals and interests underlying South African rule were indeed similar to those of the preceding regime, and South Africa was the direct beneficiary of German policies of domination and expropriation. South Africa reproduced, if in slightly less draconian form the essentials of the German labour code.
The defeat of the German colonial troops by the South Africans did not end the colonial oppression; instead they continued to oppress the South West Africans.
When the First World War ended in 1918 an international organisation called the League of Nations, was formed. Its main aim was to keep peace. This international organisation had about forty two founder members. The League of Nations decided that all the German colonies should become mandated territories, it asked the member countries to administer the mandated territories.
These mandated countries were classified into Mandates A, B and C where Mandate A territories could get their independence almost immediately.
With the help from the Mandatory country that ruled it, the Mandate B territories could receive independence when their administration was up to standard.
Mandate C territories were seen as countries that were not able to rule themselves and had to be under the control of the League who appointed a mandatory to govern the country on behalf of its inhabitants. Namibia was obviously classified as a Mandate C territory. The League of Nations gave the mandate of South West Africa to South Africa in December 1920, since South Africa at the time was a member of the British Empire. The mandate was received by General Smuts on behalf of South Africa in Windhoek.
The League of Nations gave South Africa full power of administration and law making over South West Africa and South Africa promised:
1. Improve the material and moral well-being of people and ensure their social progress.
2. Will not allow slavery; force people to work against their will and that people will be paid enough for services rendered.
3. South West African blacks would be allowed freedom of choice as welll as freedom of worship.
4. South Africa also promised to send a yearly report to the League on their activities in the country.
South African Rule
Looking at the terms of the mandate you can see that the League of Nations expected South Africa to govern South West Africa for the benefits of its entire people. This should last till South West Africa was ready to become independent. Instead they exploited the South West African people and their natural resources. South Africa continued to oppress the South West Africans as the Germans had done before them. They confiscated more land for white people. They expanded the reserve system that was first set up by the Germans and land was allocated to South West Africans according to their ethnic groups. The land that was given to the South West Africans was often very poor and the soil was bad for farming. It was not even enough to support and feed their families. Therefore, the South West Africans were forced to look for employment by working on the white-owned farms, in mines and factories.
The first five years of the South African mandate marked an important milestone in the development of resistance in Namibia. Between 1920 and 1925 resistance against colonial rule assumed a variety of forms unparalleled in Namibian history.
The first formal connection between Namibia and the Garveyist organisation occurred in 1919 when the UNIA sent commissioners to the Versailles Peace Conference in an unsuccessful attempt to influence the plans being framed for the former German colonies.
The South Africans continued to introduce new regulations in order to control the Namibians. In 1922 they introduced a Curfew Proclamation Law that was used to restrict black Namibians from being in the white areas. In 1924 the Native Proclamation Act was introduced to allow black people in the whites’ area only when they served the needs of the white people. In 1922 the Pass Law was introduced that prevented Namibians from travelling without a pass when leaving their respective reserves.
The desire for independence from South African Governance forced the Namibian people to establish various political organisations after the 1960s. Parties that were formed are OPO, CANU and NUDO.
The leaders of OPO decided to change the organisation’s name because they thought that it was for all the people in Namibia, since the main idea was for everyone to fight for their beloved country. On 19 April 1960 OPO was renamed SWAPO. Its main aim was to liberate the South West African people from colonial oppression and exploitation. Many Namibian people left the country to continue the struggle for independence. Branches of the organisation were established all over the country.
In 1966 SWAPO decided that the only way to gain independence for Namibia would be by taking up arms and fighting a liberation war against South Africa. For this reason, it asked the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) to help train a liberation army. This liberation army was called the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). Many African countries that were already independent helped to train soldiers for PLAN.
They encouraged people to join the movement in order to fight for their country, Namibia. SWAPO fought against the South African rule inside and outside Namibia. From 1960 the movement got help from many countries in the world. It sent some party members to study in Yugoslavia, the former USSR, Tanzania and United States. Others were sent to work in SWAPO’s external missions in countries such as Algeria, United States and Zambia.
On the 31 January 1984, P.W. Botha was forced to admit publicly in the all white parliament in Cape Town that the cost of his aggressive, colonial war has become unbearable in terms of lives, resources and the resulting internal political contradictions. What Botha was forced to admit was an objective manifestation of the viability and effectiveness of a protracted people’s war.
Apartheid in Namibia
In 1962 Dr Hendrik Verwoerd became Prime Minister of South Africa. He appointed the Odendaal Commission on 11 September 1962 in order to investigate the social, economic and political conditions in Namibia. The idea of issuing the Odendaal Report was to expand the policy of “divide and rule” (homelands) in Namibia. The Odendaal Report suggested that Namibia should be converted into homelands were created, one for each ethnic group, and were separated from one another and far from white areas. The main idea to separate them was to reduce contact among the community and to prevent them from starting to agitate for racial equality.
The Odendaal Report recommended some economic developments such as the development of the Kunene hydroelectric scheme; Upgrading of gravel roads interlinking with tarmac roads; establishment of the Bantu Investment Corporation (today known as the National Development Corporation) to financially assist small business and farmers in communal areas; improving education by building schools and colleges (Augustineum Training College and Ongwediva Teacher Training College) and building nurses training centres at Windhoek and Oshakati. These are some of the economic recommendations that were developed in Namibia to refute international and local criticism.
These developments did not bring any change regarding the discrimination against the majority of the Namibia people. Instead it continued to play its role – the divide and rule policy. The Namibian people decided to protest against the Odendaal Plan. The South African Government continued to introduce new laws such as Self Government of Native Nations Act 1968 and the South West Affairs Act 1969, to enforce the plan’s ideas.
Many countries in the world did not accept the implementation of the Odendaal Plan in Namibia because it strengthened apartheid in Namibia on racial and tribal discrimination, it wanted to make Namibia a fifth province of South Africa and tribal groups were regarded as separate nations while Afrikaans, English and German were not.
In 1960 two African countries, Ethiopia and Liberia (former members of the League of Nations) asked the International Court of Justice to declare that South Africa’s control over Namibia was illegal. The International Court of Justice supported South African’s claim. This made many people angry inside and outside Namibia. This led to the formation of the People’s Liberation of Namibia and the United Nations Council for South West Africa.
The Windhoek Massacre
The South African government continued to introduce its policies to separate blacks from whites. In 1959 black people in Windhoek lived in the Old Location in the area called Hochland Park today. These people shared a social and religious life together. The South African authorities wanted to enforce their policy of homelands separating blacks into ethnic groups in Namibia. They wanted to force people to move away from areas which they wanted to keep for whites only.
They instructed the people to move out to a new township called Katutura meaning, “a place where we do not live.” People were not happy about it and they strongly opposed it. A group of people protested against it. They stood together with the support from OPO, SWANU and the Herero Chiefs Council. On 9 December 1959 a group of women marched to see the South African Administrator. The following day, 10 December 1959, the South African police arrested the demonstrators. Violence broke out between South African police and the Namibians in the location. Many people were arrested, more than 13 people were killed including Rosa Kakurukazi Mungunda (a political activist) and 54 people were wounded. The 10th of December has been declared a Women's day (national public holiday) in honour of the
contribution women made to the liberation struggle.
Some of the political leaders including the former Namibian president, Sam Nujoma left the country to avoid arrest. After the massacre, the South African authority started giving orders to dismiss people from jobs and to prohibit people from certain areas.
The United Nation Organization (UNO) asked South African to leave South West Africa. In 1967 it set up a Council for Namibia. Its aim was to take over South West Africa and prepare the country towards independence. It then appointed a United Nation Commissioner for Namibia, Mr Sean McBride to the council’s work. In 1968 the Council met in Zambia in order to discuss the take over of South West Africa. However the meeting was unsuccessful. The United Nations decided that all the formerly mandated territories should come under its supervision and become known as Trust Territories. It also set up a committee called Trusteeship to look after their interest. The main idea of the United Nations was to prepare the mandated territories to gain independence. All the countries that held the League of Nations mandated territories agreed except South Africa.
South Africa tries to annex Namibia
In 1945 South Africa wanted to annex Namibia. South Africa claimed that the majority of Namibian people were in favour of Namibia becoming part of South Africa. It applied to United Nations to gain total control over Namibia but which was denied. This led to a long dispute in Namibia. Chief Hosea Kutako, David Witbooi and other traditional leaders were against incorporation by South Africa and they demanded the return of their land.
They drew up a petition with the help of an Anglican priest Reverend Michael Scott and it was taken to the United Nations by Michael Scott. They argued that South West Africa should not stay under the South African control as a mandated territory.
In 1948 the National Party of South Africa won the election under the leadership of Dr. D. F. Malan. It stopped sending reports to the United Nations and started treating Namibia as South Africa’s fifth province.
When D.F. Malan became Prime Minister of South Africa in 1948, the two white political parties in South West Africa, United National South West Party (UNSWP) and the National Party (NP), wanted to rule South West Africa. So, the South African government decided to give South West Africa representation in the government. Only white people in South West Africa were given the right to elect representatives in the House of Assembly and four in the Senate. The two of the four were nominated by the Governor-General. Black people were not allowed to vote.
In 1949 D. F. Malan introduced the South West Africa Affairs Amendment Act and extended the South African Citizenship Act, to allow all whites who wanted to become South African citizens and also to be able to vote. This led to the introduction of the apartheid policy.
In 1950 the International Court of Justice declared that South Africa’s actions were illegal. South Africa could not change the status of South West Africa as a mandated territory without the agreement of the United Nations Organisation.
On 1 September 1975 the Turnhalle Conference was held in the old Turnhalle or gymnasium building in Windhoek. The conference was attended by ethnic leaders appointed by the South African government. The aim of the conference was to bring all the ethnic leaders to discuss independence and all forms of government with the local National Party members.
Many Namibians did not support this conference because they believed that it did not truly represent all the South West African people, and that South Africa wanted to continue controlling South West Africa.
Various black political groups rejected the Turnhalle conference. They decided to meet in Okahandja (Okahandja National Conference) to hold their talks there. They drew up their own constitution which called for a non-racial democratic government for Namibia. Independent Churches of Namibia also contributed to the attainment of the Namibia independence.
During the Sharpeville massacre in 1961, Harold Macmillan stated that:
“The wind of change was sweeping across the African continent.”
During the 1980’s Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) started organising national strikes in Namibia to force South Africa Pretoria regime to leave Namibia.
Some of the demands were:
• English should be the medium of instruction
• Resolution 435 should be implemented immediately
• SWADF and Koevoet bases should be removed from school premises
• The right to commemorate Cassinga Day
• To release political prisoners
The Oshakati bomb on the 19th February 1988 was one of the terrible and unforgettable internal massacres in Namibia.
Repatriation of Exiles and Political Prisoners
Many Namibians fled the country from the 1960s – 1980s to launch the first patriotic war for the liberation of Namibia and were living in foreign countries such as Zambia, Angola and Tanzania as refugees. On 12 June 1989 the Special Representative of United Nations and the Administrator General of South Africa finally agreed on an amnesty and the abolishing of discriminatory laws. More than 42 000 Namibians were repatriated from more than 40 countries. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Council of Churches in Namibia and the UN World Food Programme cared for the basic needs of these refugees. By September 1989 most of them had resettled in their former communities.
On 12 September 1989, Anton Lubowski, the highest ranking white SWAPO member and a well known lawyer was assassinated.
The first Namibia free and fair Elections took place from the 7th to the 11th November 1989. More than 97% of the registered voters voted. The voting was orderly and peaceful. Registered political parties in Namibia took part in the elections. SWAPO won the majority with 57, 3%.
The first democratically elected president of the Republic of Namibia was Dr. Sam Nujoma from 1990 until 2004 when the current President, Hifikepunye Pohamba was elected into office.
Namibia gained her independence on 21 March 1990. All Namibians have equal opportunities and every effort is made to bring about total national reconciliation.
Today Namibians shares the same schools, hospitals, shopping malls and all other public infrastructure irrespective of the colour of the skin, ethnic group or gender. More so in the younger generations but the older forks still have a long way to go.
This history gave Namibia the rich heritage it proudly own today. Throughout the country there are several monuments erected in memory of several individuals and events of national significance.
I will try to point out these sites to you on this website. There are usually either tour guides or a brief history engraved at such sites. Your Namibia experience will be incomplete without visiting these sites.
Those who died for what they believed in and whose blood waters our freedom, that we are able to enjoy today……
………may their souls rest in eternal peace.
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