Hans Diergaardt
Encyclopedia
Kaptein Johannes Gerard Adolph Diergaardt, more commonly known as Hans Diergaardt (16 September 1927–13 February 1998) was a Namibian politician and the fifth Captain
of Baster
community at Rehoboth
, succeeding Dr Ben Africa in 1979. He founded a host of local political parties in his life, among them the Federal Convention of Namibia
for which he took a seat in the Constituent Assembly of Namibia. Diergaardt is known for his outspoken criticism of black majority rule in the early years of independent Namibia
, and for leading a legal attempt to secede the area around Rehoboth (Rehoboth Gebied) from it.
He became a member of the Rehoboth Advisory Council in 1959 and Chairman of the National Convention in 1969. He participated in talks at the Turnhalle Conference (1975–1977) as opposition to Kaptein Ben Africa who officially led the conference's Baster delegation.
n administration under the Self-Government Act, No. 56 of 1976. As part of its implementation an election was held for the Kaptein (Captain
) for Rehoboth. Ben Africa won narrowly, Diergaardt came second. Diergaardt went to court over the election results and won the case in 1979, becoming the fifth Baster Captain in history.
Leader of the Baster homeland
or bantustan
from 1979 until independence in 1989, Diergaardt and the RFP took part in the Transitional Government of National Unity
(TGNU), which was directly linked to the South Africa
n apartheid states and held some governmental powers from June 1985 to February 1989. Diergaardt was the second chairman of the TGNU.
Prior to Namibian independence
Diergaardt was elected into the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, which wrote the country's constitution. Upon independence, Diergaardt threatened armed secession from the newly independent Namibia because of a perceived lack of group rights under the Namibian Constitution
.
Diergaardt died in Rehoboth on 13 February 1998.
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of Baster
Baster
The Basters are the descendants of Cape Colony Dutch and indigenous African women. They largely live in Namibia and are similar to Coloured or Griqua people in South Africa....
community at Rehoboth
Rehoboth, Namibia
Rehoboth is a town of 21,000 inhabitants in central Namibia just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Located on the B1 road, 90 kilometres south of the Namibian capital Windhoek, Rehoboth lies on a high elevation plateau with several natural hot-water springs. It receives sparse mean annual rainfall...
, succeeding Dr Ben Africa in 1979. He founded a host of local political parties in his life, among them the Federal Convention of Namibia
Federal Convention of Namibia
The Federal Convention of Namibia was a political party based in Rehoboth, Namibia. It was founded in 1988 by Hans Diergaardt and led by him until his death in 1998. After that, Kephes Conradie took over the leadership of the party. It claimed to represent Namibia's coloured population...
for which he took a seat in the Constituent Assembly of Namibia. Diergaardt is known for his outspoken criticism of black majority rule in the early years of independent Namibia
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
, and for leading a legal attempt to secede the area around Rehoboth (Rehoboth Gebied) from it.
Early life and political activities
Diergaardt was born in Rehoboth, South-West Africa on 16 September 1927. He became a professional car mechanic but worked as farmer, businessman, and politician throughout his life. His political career started in 1947 when he became a member of the Rehoboth Burgervereniging (Rehoboth Citizen Association). He later founded the Rehoboth Tax Payers Association (1959), the Rehoboth Volksparty (Rehoboth Peoples' Party, 1968), and the Rehoboth Liberation Party (1975).He became a member of the Rehoboth Advisory Council in 1959 and Chairman of the National Convention in 1969. He participated in talks at the Turnhalle Conference (1975–1977) as opposition to Kaptein Ben Africa who officially led the conference's Baster delegation.
Ascension to Chieftaincy
In 1976 the area around Rehoboth was granted some autonomy by the South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n administration under the Self-Government Act, No. 56 of 1976. As part of its implementation an election was held for the Kaptein (Captain
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
) for Rehoboth. Ben Africa won narrowly, Diergaardt came second. Diergaardt went to court over the election results and won the case in 1979, becoming the fifth Baster Captain in history.
Leader of the Baster homeland
Rehoboth (Homeland)
Rehoboth was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-governing homeland for the Baster people. A centrally administered local government was created in 1979...
or bantustan
Bantustan
A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
from 1979 until independence in 1989, Diergaardt and the RFP took part in the Transitional Government of National Unity
Transitional Government of National Unity (Namibia)
The Transitional Government of National Unity was the government of Namibia from June 1985 to February 1989. The TGNU was a puppet government of Apartheid South Africa that sought moderate reform but was unable to secure recognition by the United Nations...
(TGNU), which was directly linked to the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n apartheid states and held some governmental powers from June 1985 to February 1989. Diergaardt was the second chairman of the TGNU.
Prior to Namibian independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
Diergaardt was elected into the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, which wrote the country's constitution. Upon independence, Diergaardt threatened armed secession from the newly independent Namibia because of a perceived lack of group rights under the Namibian Constitution
Constitution of Namibia
The Constitution of Namibia is the constitution of theRepublic of Namibia. Adopted in February 1990, a month prior to Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa, it was written by an elected constituent assembly.-Preamble:...
.
Diergaardt died in Rehoboth on 13 February 1998.