1927
South African Air Force bomber planes launch a bomb throwing demonstration in order to warn Tsumeb mine workers to remain "peaceful".
The diamond rich marine deposits of Alexander Bay, south of the Oranje River, are discovered by Hans Merensky.
Hans Merensky opens a copper mine at Klein Aub.
31.01. The United National South West Party (UNSWP)(Verenigde Nasionale Suidwes Party) is formed as a merger of the National Party of SWA and the South West Party to oppose the domination of the Deutscher Bund in the Legislative Assembly. The UNSWP remains the ruling party until 1950.
A complaint from the Subiya people in the Caprivi Strip leads to the arrangement that the rights of the Lozi people in present-day Zambia to use land in the Caprivi Strip are restricted to the inhabitants of Sesheke in Zambia, with some exemptions in special cases.
January Dredging commences in the approach channel and berthing basin at Walvis Bay port.
01./02.04. The UNSWP holds its first party congress in Windhoek. The decision is taken to establish a new newspaper, Die Suidwes Afrikaner.
26.04. German members walk out of the Legislative Assembly in protest ("German-SA Union cleavage"). This aggravates the inter-ethnic relations of "whites" in the territory.
13.06. Jacques Pierre Niehaus of the UNSWP reiterates his party’s policy of incorporation into the Union of South Africa.
05.07. The Roman Catholic Church establishes a mission station in Anamulenge/Ombalantu in the Uukwaluudhi area in Ovamboland.
August The South African Governor-General Cambridge Alexander Augustus, Earl of Athlone visits SWA.
03.08. The new Walvis Bay port wharf is officially opened.
20.08. A German Consulate opens in Windhoek.
10.10. Immanuel Gottlieb "Maxuilili" Nathaniel is born in Tsumeb.
November A new slipway and ship repair facilities at Walvis Bay port are completed.
1928 Further laws are introduced which curtail "black" Namibian’s rights to self-determination. According to Act No. 38 of 1928, the SWA Administrator is made the "Paramount Chief of the Natives". He is thereby given the right to appoint and revoke chieftains as well as to bring about the forced removal of a group or part of it to another part of the country.
The growing number of urban "blacks" are forced to reside in "locations" on the outskirts of towns. These locations are owned and controlled by the various local authorities in terms of Proclamation No. 15 of 1928. The proclamation furthermore regulates native reserves. A Native Affairs official, MJ Olivier, who is later to become the Commissioner-General of SWA, maintains in 1961 that "there is no doubt that the reserves are located in such a way as to serve the labour needs of each district".
The Native Reserve Commission, 1928 recommends the introduction of grazing fees in all native reserves. The major aim of this tax is to devise measures to ensure a steady flow of "black" labour from the reserves.
Dama establish the Progressive Association, which aims to attain greater freedom with respect to racial legislation and to keep clear of all "whites", including the missionaries.
The former Ombandja King Shihetekela moves from Oshikwiyu to Onambome village in Okalongo in the Uukwanyama area.
Diamonds are also discovered by a geologist of the CDM, Werner Beetz, north of the Oranje River. This discovery leads in 1936 to the founding of the mining town of Oranjemund. From 1935, mining is carried out largely in the southernmost part of upper and lower marine terraces in the so-called Mining Area No. 1. Large-scale mining of diamonds between 1926 and 1931 produce 1,25 millions carats before the operation closes down as a result of the depression in the 1930s.
"Taffie" Louw discovers radioactive mineralisation in the Territory (the subsequent Rössing Mine).
March Two members of the Dorslandtrekkers in Angola, Andries Alberts and Michiel van der Merwe, sons of the men who, in 1880, had gone ahead to Angola in order to seek refuge at Humpata, are sent to South Africa in order to negotiate with General Hertzog the return of the trekkers to SWA.
23.03. Hans Bruno Karl Hirsekorn, German-speaking member of the Legislative Assembly, gives a crucial speech in Lüderitz on the mandate system in SWA, in which he expresses support for the system and takes a strong anti-Union stand ("German-SA Union cleavage").
August A total of 1 842 Afrikaner farmers from Angola (Dorslandtrekkers) are settled in SWA ("Angola Trek"). This contributes further to the deterioration of "white" inter-ethnic relations. Among those who move via Swartbooisdrift into SWA is William James Bushnell Chapman, a son of the explorer of the 19th century, James Chapman.

Namibia_Kaoko_Swartbooisdrift_5.jpg (122553 bytes)Namibia_Kaoko_Swartbooisdrift_6.jpg (190119 bytes)Namibia_Kaoko_Swartbooisdrift_7.jpg (185709 bytes)

Dorslandtrekker Monument and Grave at Swartbooisdrift, September 2004
Copyright of Photos: Dr. Klaus Dierks

05.10. Ferdinand Stich establishes the newspaper Walvis Bay Messenger.
12.10. Daniel Holtzhausen, Director of Works in Windhoek, purchases a Cadillac La Salle vehicle for his official duties. He obtains the registration number "W-1" (now: N 1 W). In March 1939 this prestigious registration number becomes the property of Terence (Terry) Ryan (until approximately 1989). Then the number is obtained by Billy de Lange. The next owner is Llewellyn Anthony. In 2001 the number plate passes to David Imbili, the son-in-law of the present President Sam Nujoma.
28.10. Isaak (Izak) Witbooi dies. His successor as headman of the Witbooi Nama is David Witbooi.

Namibia_Hardap_Gibeon_Cemetry_6.jpg (267749 bytes)
Graves of the Witbooi Dynasty at the Gibeon Cemetery: Tomb Stone for Isaak (Izak) Witbooi
Copyright of Photo: Dr. Klaus Dierks

WB00823_.GIF (134 bytes)

[Return to Table of Contents]

forward.GIF (132 bytes)