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South-West Africa (Afrikaans: Suidwes-Afrika; German: Südwestafrika) was the name of what is today the Republic of Namibia.

German colony
German Colony

The term German Colony can refer to:* German colonial empire, the former colonies of Germany* German Colony, Jerusalem a Templer settlement...
 from 1884 it was known as German South-West Africa
German South-West Africa

German South West Africa was a colony of German Empire from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990....
 (Deutsch-Südwestafrika). Germany had a difficult time administering the territory, which, owing to the Germans' brutal native policy, experienced many insurrections, especially those led by guerilla leader Jacob Morenga.






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South-West Africa (Afrikaans: Suidwes-Afrika; German: Südwestafrika) was the name of what is today the Republic of Namibia.

German colony

As a German colony
German Colony

The term German Colony can refer to:* German colonial empire, the former colonies of Germany* German Colony, Jerusalem a Templer settlement...
 from 1884 it was known as German South-West Africa
German South-West Africa

German South West Africa was a colony of German Empire from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990....
 (Deutsch-Südwestafrika). Germany had a difficult time administering the territory, which, owing to the Germans' brutal native policy, experienced many insurrections, especially those led by guerilla leader Jacob Morenga. The main port, Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay , is the name of both a port in Namibia and the bay on which it lies.The bay has been a haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour, protected by the Pelican Point sand spit, being the only natural harbour of any size along the country's coast....
, and the Penguin islands had been annexed by Britain
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 as part of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony

The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by French Revolution, so that the French revolutionaries could not take possession of...
 in 1878, and became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

During World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
, in 1915, the region was taken from German control. After the war it was declared a League of Nations
League of Nations

The League of Nations was an inter-governmental organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919?1920. At its greatest extent from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members....
 Mandate territory
League of Nations mandate

A League of Nations mandate refers to a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League....
 under the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaty at the end of World War I. It ended the declaration of war between German Empire and Allies of World War I....
, with South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 responsible for the administration of South-West Africa, including Walvis Bay.

UN trust territory

The Mandate was supposed to become a United Nations Trust Territory when League of Nations Mandates were transferred to the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 following World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
. The Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa

The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day state of the Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910, with the previously separate colonies of the Cape Colony, Colony of Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State, plus the German South-West Africa colony in 1915, becoming Provinces in the Union of...
 objected to South-West Africa coming under UN control and refused to allow the territory's transition to independence, regarding it as a fifth province (even though it was never actually incorporated into South Africa).

International law

These South African actions gave rise to several rulings at the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands....
, which in 1950 ruled that South Africa was not obliged to convert South-West Africa into a UN trust territory, but was still bound by the League of Nations Mandate with the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly

The United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal United Nations System and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation....
 assuming the supervisory role. The ICJ also clarified that the General Assembly was empowered to receive petitions from the inhabitants of South-West Africa and to call for reports from the mandatory nation, South Africa. The General Assembly constituted the Committee on South-West Africa to perform the supervisory functions. In another advisory opinion issued in 1955, the Court further ruled that the General Assembly was not required to follow League of Nations voting procedures in determining questions concerning South-West Africa. In 1956, the Court further ruled that the Committee had the power to grant hearings to petitioners from the mandated territory. In 1960, Ethiopia
Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast....
 and Liberia
Liberia

Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, C?te d'Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean....
 filed a case in the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands....
 against South Africa alleging that South Africa had not fulfilled its mandatory duties. This case did not succeed, with the Court ruling in 1966 that they were not the proper parties to bring the case.

Mandate terminated

In 1966, the General Assembly passed resolution 2145 (XXI) which declared the Mandate terminated and that South Africa had no further right to administer South-West Africa. In 1971, acting on a request for advisory opinion from the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs charged with the maintenance of international security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of war....
, the ICJ ruled that the continued presence of South Africa in Namibia was illegal and that South Africa was under an obligation to withdraw from Namibia immediately. It also ruled that all member states of the United Nations were under an obligation to recognize the invalidity of any act performed by South Africa on behalf of Namibia.

South-West Africa became known internationally as Namibia when the UN General Assembly changed the territory's name by Resolution 2372 (XXII) of 12 June 1968.

There was a protracted struggle between South Africa and forces fighting for independence, particularly after the formation of the South-West Africa People's Organisation
South-West Africa People's Organisation

The South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since independence in 1990....
 in 1960.

The territory became the independent Republic of Namibia on 21 March 1990, with Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay , is the name of both a port in Namibia and the bay on which it lies.The bay has been a haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour, protected by the Pelican Point sand spit, being the only natural harbour of any size along the country's coast....
 only becoming part of Namibia in 1994.

Bantustans


The South African authorities established 10 bantustan
Bantustan

A bantustan or euphemistically black african homeland or simply homeland, was territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South-West Africa , as part of the policy of South Africa under apartheid....
s in Namibia in the late 1960s and early 70s three of which were granted self-rule . These bantustans were replaced with separate ethnicity based governments in 1980.
Namibia Homelands 78
The bantustans were:
  • Basterland
  • Bushmanland
    Bushmanland

    Bushmanland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the ethnic San . Despite this, a government was not established in the region....
  • Damaraland
    Damaraland

    Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia, inhabited by Herero language-speaking people, who in the 19th century were often referred to by outsiders as "Damaras"....
  • East Caprivi
    East Caprivi

    East Caprivi was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Lozi people. It was set up in 1972 and self-government was granted in 1976....
     (self rule 1976)
  • Hereroland
    Hereroland

    Hereroland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Herero people. It was set up in 1968 and self-government was granted two years later....
     (self-rule 1970)
  • Kaokoland
    Kaokoland

    Kaokoland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Himba people. Despite this, a government was not established in the region....
  • Kavangoland
    Kavangoland

    Kavangoland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Kavango people....
     (self-rule 1973)
  • Namaland
    Namaland

    Namaland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Nama people. A centrally administered local government was created in 1980....
  • Ovamboland
    Ovamboland

    Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola....
  • Tswanaland
    Tswanaland

    Tswanaland was a bantustan in South West Africa , intended by the apartheid government to be a self-government homeland for the Tswana people. A centrally administered local government was created in 1980....


List of colonial heads of South-West Africa (1915-1990)


Administrators

  • Sir Edmond Howard Lacam Gorges (31 October 1915 - 1 October 1920)
  • Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr (1 October 1920 - 1 April 1926)
  • Albertus Johannes Werth (1 April 1926 - 1 April 1933)
  • David Gideon Conradie (1 April 1933 - 1 April 1943)
  • Petrus Imker Hoogenhout (1 April 1943 - 6 December 1951)
  • Albertus Johannes Roux van Rhijn (6 December 1951 - 1 December 1953)
  • Daniel Thomas du Plessis Viljoen (1 December 1953 - 1 December 1963)
  • Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis (1 December 1963 - 1 November 1968)
  • Johannes Gert Hendrik van der Wath (1 November 1968 - 1 November 1971)
  • Barend Johannes van der Walt (1 November 1971 - 1 September 1977)


Administrators-general

  • Marthinus T. Steyn (1 September 1977 - 7 August 1979)
  • Gerrit Viljoen
    Gerrit Viljoen

    Gerrit Van Niekerk Viljoen is a former South African government minister and member of the National Party .He was chair of the Broederbond from 1974 to 1980, administrator of South West Africa from 1978 to 1980, Minister of Education in South Africa from 1980 to 1989, and Minister of Constitutional Development from 1989 to 1992....
     (7 August 1979 - 4 September 1980)
  • Danie Hough (4 September 1980 - 1 February 1983)
  • Willie van Niekerk (1 February 1983 - 1 July 1985)
  • Louis Pienaar
    Louis Pienaar

    Louis Pienaar is a South African lawyer and former diplomat. In 1985, the History of South Africa in the Apartheid era put him in charge of Namibia, in the lead-up to that country's independence in 1990....
     (1 July 1985 - 21 March 1990)


See also

  • History of Namibia
    History of Namibia

    The history of Namibia has passed through several distinct stages from being colony in the late nineteenth century to Namibia's independence on 21 March 1990....
  • SWATF
    SWATF

    The South West African Territorial Force was the forerunner of the Namibian Defence Force and was basically an extension or auxiliary of the South African Defence Force to combat the Namibian War of Independence....
  • SWAPOL
  • Postal Orders of South West Africa
    Postal Orders of South West Africa

    Postal orders were issued in South West Africa prior to it becoming independent as Namibia in 1990. It is not yet known when South West Africa issued its own postal orders, but it is certain the British postal orders were not issued there....