South-West Africa

Namibia, 1915–1990. Draft, not yet reviewed

South West Africa was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990. It was made a League of Nations mandate of the Union of South Africa following Germany's defeat in the First World War. The mandate was repealed by the United Nations on 27 October 1966, but South African control over the territory continued. It was renamed Namibia by the United Nations in 1968.

Seat of power: Windhoek

No rulers documented for this era yet.

Culture

• In 1949, the South West Africa Affairs Act was amended to give representation in the Parliament of South Africa to whites in South West Africa.
• During its administration, South Africa applied its own apartheid system in the territory of South West Africa.
• The South African authorities established 10 bantustans in South West Africa in the late 1960s and early 1970s in accordance with the Odendaal Commission, three of which were granted self-rule.
• 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 (SWAPO) in 1960.

Picture

The Christ Church, a Lutheran church in Windhoek, was built as a symbol of peace following the wars between the Germans, and the Herero and Nama.

Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

• South West Africa (Wikipedia)
• South-West Africa (Wikidata)
• About the picture (Wikipedia)

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.