Collect Southern Africa
South West Africa Commemoratives
 

South West Africa
This vast Territory, situated on the South West Coast of Africa became a German Colony from 7 August 1884 and known as Deutsch-Südwestafrika
From 7 July 1888 the mail came under German Postal Administration.
At first German stamps saw use, followed in 1897 by the German 'Eagle' issue being overprinted Deutsch-Südwestafrika. In January 1901 the German Colonial 'Yacht' issue was introduced, first without watermark and in 1906 on watermarked 'Lozenges' paper.

World War I
In South Africa General Botha announced on 11 August 1914 that he was acceding to Britain’s request that he organize four volunteer units in anticipation of an invasion of GSWA.
The movement of German Forces to secure their water holes at Nakob, north of the Orange River, was relayed to the Union’s press as a German invasion of the Union.
After a motivational speech by General Smuts, on 8 September, the House of Assembly approved the Union’s declaration of war on Germany. He and Botha prepared to oversee the invasion of German South West Africa.

Railway Priorities at the outbreak of WWI
When war commenced, the line of rail from De Aar had reached Prieska and an extension to Upington was a priority. Work commenced on 31 August and at a rate of from 2¼ to 3¼ miles of track per day it reached Upington on 20 November 1914. The next stage was to cross the Orange and Molopo rivers which slowed progress. Finally on 25 June 1915 the Union and GSWA Railway systems were linked together at Kalkfontein.

1915 to 1921
After the surrender of the Germans on 9 July 1915 the administration of the country was taken over by the Union of South Africa who established a military régime.
On 12 September 1919 the Union House of Assembly formally accepted a mandate from the League of Nations to administer the country as a Protectorate and it became an integral portion of the Union. During a visit from Lord Buxton during October 1919 he stated...In no circumstances will the country be handed back to Germany. On 17 December 1920 the League of Nations Mandate took effect and by the end of the year all troops had been withdrawn and travel permits and censorship was abolished.
On 1 January 1921 Civil Administration of South West Africa commenced.


1923 South West Africa's Overprinted Stamps
Between July 1915 and January 1923 South African stamps were used in South West Africa. This was followed by overprinting the SA King's head definitive for use in SWA. Up to 1952 virtually all the country's stamp issues consisted of overprinted South African Stamps. In March 1931 SWA finally issued its own set of Pictorial Definitives from ½d to 20/-. Twelve values plus two Airmail stamps being 3d and 10d.

South West Africa's First Commemorative Issue
In keeping with the rest of the Crown Colonies and Dominions, SWA participated in the first Commonwealth Omnibus series celebrating the 1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V. Furthermore it was their own exclusive design and not simply another South African overprinted set.

1935 to 1952 KGV and KGVI Issues
From 1935 to 1952 South West Africa issued twelve commemorative sets and except for the 1935 Silver Jubilee and 1937 Coronation, they are all South Africa stamps overprinted S.W.A. They are:-
1935 - 38, three Voortrekker sets, 1939 Huguenots Landing Anniversary, 1945 Victory, 1947 Royal Visit, 1948 KGVI Silver Wedding, 1949 UPU and Voortrekker Monument. Finally the 1952 Landing of Van Riebeeck.

Queen Elizabeth II Commemoratives 1953 - 1990
Started with the 1953 Coronation and continued up to and including the 1990 Flowers - A total of seventy six issues.
  
1935 KGV Silver Jubilee
6 May 1935
King George V
Silver Jubilee
Set of four values
Illustrated at right, an envelope with a complete set Cancelled at WINDHOEK on 1 May 35
Five days prior to its Official date of issue
Illustrated at left a 2d Imprint block overprinted Cigarette Tax
It was the wish of King George V that the 1935 Silver Jubilee stamps should be withdrawn on the 31 December 1935 and that all remainders should be destroyed
It seems that S.W.A. decided to ignore the Monarch’s wish and overprinted the remains for Revenue purposes

A quote from The South African Philatelist May 1936 on page 66 S.W.A. ‘JUBILEES’

Having heard that the remainder of at least one of the values of the Jubilee stamps was being used up fiscally on cigarette packets, we made enquiry of the Director of Post and Telegraphs if this statement was correct and at the same time asked if official information could be supplied as to the number of stamps printed and used.

We have been informed “that all surplus S.W.A. Jubilee issue of stamps have been overprinted for Inland Revenue purposes”
As regards numbers printed and used, a change seems to have come over the Administration. In the old days of busy overprinting of Union stamps for use in S.W.A. we used to be able to get such information readily. To-day the reply we have received is: It is regretted that statistical data in connection with the use made of the issue cannot be supplied, as such information is not made available for public information.“And that” said John, “is that”
1935 - 1936 Voortrekker Memorial Fund overprinted SWA on the South African Issue
Overprint Varieties - Inverted on ½d + ½d and 1d + ½d
Overprint Double - 2d + 1d - No Stop after A - 2d + 1d and 3d + 1½d

Registered OHMS envelope to South Africa WINDHOEK 8 FEB 36
Transit DE AAR & ROSMEAD & JANSENVILLE - 12 FEB arrival
12 May 1937 KGVI Coronation
The KGVI Coronation set in Imprint blocks of four and on First Day Cover

A Vertical Re-Entry in the
frame occurs on
the 4d value on R6/3
1938 Voortrekkers - Two sets were issued on 14 December
Voortrekker Centenary Memorial

Four Values
½d + ½d, 1d + 1d,
1½d + 1½d and 3d + 3d
Voortrekker
Commemoration

Two Values
1d and 1½d
17 July 1939 - 250th Anniversary of Huguenot Landing

3 December 1945 - Victory Issue

Major Variety - Overprint Inverted

'Barbed Wire' Variety ex R9/6
17 February 1947 - Royal Visit

Plain First Day Cover Cancelled at WINDHOEK
26 April 1948 - KGVI Royal Silver Wedding

In contrast to the Crown Agents, South Africa and SWA
Resisted issuing a high value stamp
1 October 1949 - 75th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union
1 December 1949 - Inauguration of Voortrekker Monument
Three Values
1d, 1½d and 3d

The set on an envelope posted
WALVIS BAY 16 I 50
14 March 1952 - Landing of Van Riebeeck
Printed in Double Panes
Gutter Pairs or blocks are scarce

½d Cylinder 70 18 6922
1d Cylinder 30
2d Cylinder 36
4½d Cylinder 44
1/- Cylinder 27
Minor Varieties are noted on

1d 'Pennon' over 'A' R6/6
2d 'Full Moon' R6/3
2d 'Line thru sails' R11/2
1/- 'Missing Shadow' R 19/2
1953 to 1968 QEII Issues
2 June 1953 - QEII Coronation

2 June 1953
Set of five values
This was the only QEII Pre-decimal commemorative Issue
Each value produced from a single Cylinder and quantities ordered all delivered on 21 April 1953
1d - 9,350 Sheets
2d - 20,364 Sheets
4d - 3,254 Sheets
6d - 3,280 Sheets
1/- 3,276 Sheets

A different Native Flower from SWA
was depicted on each value

1d Catophractes Alexandri
2d Bauhinia Macrantha
4d Caralluma Nebrownii
6d Gloriosa Virescens
1/- Rhigozum Trichototum

Produced in sheets of 120 Stamps
16 March 1963 - Opening of Hardap Dam
A single value 3c Commemorative Stamp, depicting future Agricultural Development
made possible by the dam and was issued on the same day as as a 15 cent additional value definitive
showing an aerial view of the Dam, its wall and and main sluices

First Day covers often include both these stamps

Situated near Mariental and has a surface area of 25 square kilometers.
15 Cent Definitive
Constant Varieties
Row 2/2
Diagonal line through WEST


(Illustrated above)

Row 1/7
Flaw between T of WEST
and A of AFRICA

Printing details were not published in
The South African Philatelist

The SA Colour Catalogue states
728,500 stamps printed
Both 3c Commemorative and 15c Definitive on the same
illustrated envelope with a specially designed
MARIENTAL pictorial datestamp
30 August 1963 - Red Cross Centenary
Other than announcing the issue in The South African Philatelist
No printing details were published - The SA Colour Catalogue provides
numbers issued as 7½c (514,300) and 15c (500,000)
14 May 1964 - Opening of the Legislative Assembly Hall
Far left - the issued stamp

Colour Trials
Blue & Pink
Blue & yellow-orange
Brown-green & dull orange

Printed in sheets of 100
Total 5,304 Sheets

The Design is an Artist's impression of the inside of the New Assembly Hall with the SWA Coat of Arms in a prominent position
1 October 1964 - 400th Anniversary of Calvin's Death

18 October 1965 - 75th Anniversary of Windhoek
The Issued Stamps

Printed
3c 1,200,000 stamps
15c 850,000 stamps
3c Colour Trials

Brown & Salmon
Brown & Bright red
4 July 1966 - 90th Birthday of Dr Vedder

The Issued Stamps

Printed
3c 1,050,400 stamps
15c 1,000,000 stamps

3c
45 sheets reprinted
On Swiss Paper

Included in Presentation Booklet for 1969 Tokyo UPU Congress

Colour Trials

3c Black & lilac-pink

15c Deep-sepia
& Pale green
1970 Pretoria Philatelic Bureau Commences its Involvement of Distributing SWA Stamp Issues
The first two Official FDC envelopes were identical to those used for the corresponding RSA commemoratives e.g.
1970 Water (No 13) and 1970 Bible Society (No 14) - For the next two issues the envelopes were the same again, but with their own number, thus
The RSA 2c & 4c Tenth Anniversary stamps appeared on RSA FDC No 17 and their South West Africa counter parts
used the same design envelope, but as No 3 (SWA) and besides the 2c & 4c also included the 5c Strijdom Tower and 12½c Antarctic Treaty

The 1972 5c Cats SPCA issue was the last SWA commemorative FDC SWA No 4 that featured the identical RSA design RSA FDC No 23
The next SWA Commemorative issue was 1973 Adolph Jentsch Paintings and its stamp designs and FDC was exclusive to SWA (No 5)
1970 Water Campaign & Bible Society
14 February 1970
Water '70' Campaign
Printed on Swiss Paper
3 Cent - Printed on Harrison Paper in a deeper shade
Missing the phoshor bar
Official FDC - SWA No1 using the same RSA envelope No 13
Also issued without an Airmail Tag for posting by surface rate to overseas countries
The above envelope, addressed to Great Britain, was insufficiently pre-paid for Airmail
and was more than likely sent under seperate cover
24 August 1970
150th Anniversary of SA Bible Society
FDC envelope numbered 14 = SWA No 2
15,000 envelopes used for the SWA stamps
1971 SA Republic Anniversary & 1972 SPCA
FDC SWA No 3 The first correctly numbered envelope
20,000 Envelopes produced

In terms of the numbers of envelopes produced for SWA first day covers
they are relatively low. The reason being that when Pretoria initially took over the distrubtion of SWA New Issues, the number of account holders was still low
31 May 1971
Tenth Anniverary
of RSA
19 September 1972
Centenary of the SPCA

FDC SWA No 4
18,000 envelopes produced
The SPCA was the last issue that replicated a RSA design
1973 Adolph Jentsch Paintings
1 May 1973
Paintings by Adolph Jentsch
Five values

Red Sand Dunes

After the Rain

Barren Country
FDC SWA No 5 - 28,600 Envelopes produced

Schaap River

2c Cylinder 351 - 354

4c Cylinder 355 - 358

5c Cylinder 343 - 346

10c Cylinder 347 - 350

15c Cylinder 339 - 342


Namib Desert
Adolph Jentsch was born in Germany on 29 December 1888
Lived and Educated in Dresden - He settled in SWA before WWII
His Landscape Art captured the mood of his enviroment
He passed away at Windhoek on 18 April 1977
1974 Rare Birds of SWA

White-tailed Shrike

Rosy-faced Lovebirds
13 February 1974
Four values

4c Cylinders P14 - 17 P5

5c Cylinders P10 - 13 P5

10c Cylinders P6 - 9 P5

15c Cylinders P1 - 5

Damara Rock Jumper

Rüppell's Parrot

FDC SWA No 6 - 35,800 Envelopes produced
4c White-tailed Shrike on a commercial cover to South Africa
Cancelled GOBABIS 5 IV 1974
1974 Twyfelfontein Rock Engravings

10 April 1974

4c Cylinder P32 31 21 - 18

5c Cylinder P30 22 - 25

15c Cylinder P26 - 29
Designs
4c Giraffe and Antelope

5c Elephant and Hyena

15c Kudu Cow

FDC SWA No 7 - 36,821 Envelopes serviced
Twyfelfontein or Ai-Ais (Spring or well) lies to the North-west of Brandberg and 60 kms from Khorixas (previously Welwitschia)
The site boasts around 2,000 rock engravings, unfortunately many of these engravings are badly weathered
1974 Diamond Mining

FDC SWA No 8 - 38,196 Envelopes serviced (42,000 printed)

30 September 1974

10c Cut Diamond
Cylinder P39 - P36

15c Diamond Mining
Cylinder P35 - P32
FDC SWA No 8 - 38,196 Envelopes produced
The world's richest deposits of diamonds is found north of the
Orange River between the Atlantic Ocean and the desert
On 14 April 1908 a railway worker, Zacharias Lewala, who was working on the railway line between Luderitz and Aus found a 'shiny-stone' and
showed it to his supervisor, a railway inspector August Stauch, who recognized it as a diamond
Stauch obtained a prospector’s license and as soon as it was confirmed that the stone was indeed a diamond, the rush to Kolmanskop was on

In 1983 SWA issued a set of four stamps to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Discovery of Diamonds and the 40c value depicts August Stauch
Sadly Zacharias Lewala did not receive any recognition other than a vague mention on the FDC inset as a Coloured Railwayman
1974 Centenary of the Thirstland (Dorsland) Trek
13 November 1974
Cylinder P44 - 40

FDC SWA No 9
38,080 Envelopes serviced
(40,000 printed)
This issue commemorates a series of Treks from the Transvaal through the waterless Kalahari between 1874 and 1905. The last group left the Transvaal after the end of the Boer War in an attempt to escape the misery and poverty that was a result of that conflict.

In 1884 a number of trekkers wished to return to South Africa, but when reaching Grootfontein settled there. Four years later they returned to Angola.
The first group of the Dorsland Trek set out on 27 May 1874 under the leadership of Gert Alberts. Different groups followed the first Trek, setting off from areas around Rustenburg, Groot Marico and Pretoria. Their primary destination was the Humpata highlands in Western Angola. These groups had to traverse the arid Kalahari desert either via Bechuanaland or SWA. It was the harsh and dry conditions that they experienced in the Kalahari that gave the trek the name Dorsland Trek (In Afrikaans) translated Thirstland Trek.
By 1905 the Boer community in Angola numbered some 2,000 but their chosen isolation brought friction with the Portuguese who pressed Catholicism on these brimstone Calvinists and insisted that their children attend government schools. All this led to fears that their Afrikaner heritage would be lost.

After 1928 nearly the entire community left Humpata with their wagons, Bibles, furniture and guns. With help from the South African Government they settled in the Outjo district of South West Africa.

A Commercial envelope with the 4c Dorsland Trek
Cancelled WINDHOEK 25 IX 1976
1975 Protected Birds of Prey

Peregrine Falcon

Black Eagle
19 March 1975
Four values

4c Cylinder P50 - 54

5c Cylinder P54 - 58

10c Cylinder P54 59 - 62

15c Cylinder P54 63 - 66

Martial Eagle

Egyptian Vulture

FDC SWA No 10 - 46,518* Envelopes serviced (45,000 printed)
*Data conflicts between SACC and GPO Bulletin
4c Peregrine Falcon - Because of pesticide in its food chain, numbers have fallen drastically. it preys on birds the size of pigeons. In SWA it nests on cliffs.
5c Black Eagle - Found in mountainous country and preys almost exclusively on rock-rabbits. Lays two eggs in a huge cliff nest, but only one chick will fledge.
10c Martial Eagle - Has a wing-span over two metres and its main prey is hares, meerkats, leguans and game birds. Many are killed by farmers as it occassionally targets sheep or goats.
15c Egyptian Vulture - Vitually extinct in Southern Africa and occassional migrants seen from the North. Supplements its carrion diet by breaking Ostrich eggs with the aid of stones.
1975 Historic Monuments

Kolmannskop
23 July 1975
Three values

5c Cylinder P67 - 71
9c Cylinder P71 - 75
15c Cylinder P71 76 - 79

'Martin Luther' Steam tractor

'Alte Feste' Windhoek

FDC SWA No 11 - 59,262* Envelopes serviced (52,000 printed)
*Data conflicts between SACC and GPO Bulletin
5c Kolmannskop
Initially an insignificant railway station between Seeheim and Lüderitzbucht. Became a hive of activity after the discovery of diamonds in 1908. The miners built a settlement that was eventually abandoned when mining activity ceased and moved futher south. Today this ghost town is a popular tourist attraction.
9c 'Martin Luther' Steam tractor
Brought over in early 1896 and intended to replace
'ox-transport'. Became stuck in the desert sand and abandoned.
Was named Martin Luther due to his historic statement Here I stand, may God help me, I cannot do otherwise.
Restored in 1973 by the Swakopmund Town Council and became a National Monument.
15c 'Alte Feste' (Old Fort) Windhoek Construction of the fort commenced in October 1890 under command of Captain Kurt von Francios. Bing a site with a strategic position plus its hot springs it marked the founding of Windhoek. In May 1915 it became HQ for SA Forces. After WWII it was a hostel & then a High School. Declared a National Monument in 1957 and its six month restoration began in 1962.
1975 Otto Schröder Paintings
Otto Schröder 1913 - 1975, born in London and spent his early childhood there. The son of German father and British mother, they repatriated to Germany at end of WWI. Schröder was educated in Cologne; entered business, but attended evening classes in art and painted during his free time
Art Education 1932 - 1937 Landeskunstschule and part time under Oscar Boegel and Hermann Junker in Hamburg - In 1938 studied in Vienna
FDC SWA No 12 - 64,571 Envelopes serviced (65,000 printed)
19 October 1975
Four 15c se-tenant values
Cylinders
P84 - 80
A and B

Also made up into SWA
first MS

SWA MS No 1
In 1939, Schröder came to Cape Town on business, but his contract was terminated by the outbreak of WWII and turned to art as full-time profession. Interned with other German nationals at Baviaanspoort, Pretoria and on release decided to remain in South Africa

In 1947 Schröder settled in Windhoek and in 1948 established a Children's Art Centre in Windhoek. An active organizer, member of selection committees for several national art exhibitions and mainly interested in pastel-medium, portraits and landscapes.
He participated in numerous South African and SWA art exhibitions and completed murals in several SWA buildings.

In 1958 Schröder wrote introductory essay for small monograph on Adolph Jentsch. In 1962 Schröder was appointed to new chair of Fine Arts at Stellenbosch University and a committee member of SA Akademy. During 1967/8, a committee member of Design Institute Pretoria-Cape Town and Fellow of Royal Society of Arts.

His usual subject matter was the bleak, wind-swept and melancholy desert coast of SWA, especially the towns of Luderitz and Swakopmund.

Otto Schröder died at Stellenbosch on 13 June 1975.
31 March 1976 Pre-Historic Rock Paintings



FDC SWA No 13 - 69,255 Envelopes serviced (75,000 printed)
The Rock Paintings in this issue of postage stamps were copied at the following farms 5c Stamp - Schwarzkuppe near Maltahöhe
9c Stamp - Ameib near Usakos. 15c Stamp - Omandumba in the Erongo Mountains. 30c Stamp - Etemba in the Erongo Mountains
First Day Cover - Klein Aukas near Usakos Miniature Sheet - Alettasrust near Kamanjab
The stamps were designed by Harald Pager, the Johannesburg author of two books on South African rock paintings.
Dr E.R. Scherz of Windhoek, doyen of rock-art research in South West Africa, advised on the sites
THE ROCK PAINTINGS OF SOUTH-WEST AFRICA
South-West Africa is extremely rich in rock art, paintings being more common than engravings. These rock paintings were executed In open rock shelters or on boulders. Radio-carbon tests have shown that the oldest South-West African rock paintings are 27,000 to 29,000 years old. They are therefore the oldest works at art in Africa.

Earth colours - red in particular - were the most popular pigments while white, black and yellow were also used but never green or blue Chemical tests indicate that blood or blood serum was used as a binding agent.

Human figures are the most frequently encountered motifs and they are portrayed in a multitude of postures and activities, the men often pictured with their bows and arrows whereas the women are seen gathering vegetable food with digging sticks and bags There are many beautiful paintings of game in a variety at styles Imaginary creatures, ghosts, abstracts, symbols and a few plants are also depicted and handprints occur in some of the sites The most famous of all South-West African rock paintings is the 'White Lady of the Brandberg', which is illustrated on the FDC inset card.

The reason for the creation of this art is still largely a matter of conjecture but it may have had magico-religious origins connected with initiation rites, the placating of spirits and rituals to ensure rain, fertility and, perhaps most likely of all, success in the hunt.

SWA MS No 2
1976 Historic Castles

FDC SWA No 14 - 64,292 Envelopes serviced
15 May 1976
Three values

10c Cylinder P108 - P105
15c Cylinder P112 - P109
20c Cylinder P116 - P113

Schwerinsburg Windhoek

Schloss Duwisib

Heynitzburg Windhoek
Castles in South West Africa The three castles featured on the new series of stamps of South-West Africa were designed by a German, Willi Sander, the first architect in South-West Africa. Tradition has it that he was so taken up with his romantic creations that in later years he built his own castle, the Sanderberg, which is depicted on the commemorative envelope.

Two of these residential fortresses, Schwerinsburg and Heynitzburg which were designed for German nobility, jut from the rocky ridge above the capital city, Windhoek. The third, Schloss Duwisib, stands on the edge of the Namib desert.

Count von Schwerin was the trend-setter of this old-world indulgence in castle building in South-West Africa. He built annexes and extensions to a watchtower that guarded the small township of Windhoek until the edifice had assumed the proportions of a castle and which was proudly named Schwerinsburg

When Count von Schwerin married Fraulein Von Heynitz, a second castle was built at the site of a good spring, just below the first one. It was named Heynitzburg after Fraulein Von Heynitz.

Schloss Duwisib was erected by the Baltic Baron Von Wolff, an officer of the German forces and he planned his castle to be the furthest advanced bastion of civilization. This castle is a magnificent structure with five massive square towers and an interior that has the nostalgic charm of a long-past era.
The three special stamps, commemorative envelope, stiffener card and special canceller were designed by the Johannesburg artist Harald Pager He made a special trip to South-West Africa to execute the assignment on the spot.
Many obstacles had to be overcome. From a plan drawing he had to measure the foundations in order to reconstruct the walls, hidden behind trees and shrubs.
In the final art work he was obliged to omit much of the vegetation so that the stamps would not look like pictures from a botanical garden.

Imperforate Stamps - These blocks originate from full sheets of 100 ex the Postal Archives sold by Stephan Welz on 24 October 2001 as Lot 47
1976 Nature Conservation

Rock-Dassie
16 July 1976
Three values

4c Cylinder P120 - P117
10c Cylinder P124 - P121
15c Cylinder P128 - P125

Dik-Dik

Tree Squirrel

FDC SWA No 15 - 74,869 Envelopes serviced (75,000 printed)
4c Dassie (Procavia Welwitschi)
These rock-dassies are only found north of the Brandberg in Damaraland and Kaokoland. They live mainly in very rocky places and form social colonies of up to 100 individuals. The colonies consist of family groups with one male, various females and their young. Although they are mainly active during the day, they also come out on nights when the moon is full. The old males are usually on guard. They are not very dependent on water and are exclusively herbivorous (grass, leaves and fruit).

10c Dik-Dik (Madoqua Kirki)
The blue duiker belongs to the dik-dik-family and is the smallest buck in South-West Africa. It has an elongated nose, which slightly resembles a trunk, and a tuft of long hair on its forehead. Only the ram has horns. The hind legs are longer than the forelegs but are bent so that the animal's back slopes to the rear. Blue duikers are found in pairs and are sometimes accompanied by the previous year’s lamb. These buck live in dry, dense bushveld and can do without water for long periods.
They have common dunghills, which become quite large in course of time. Blue duikers are mainly leaf-eaters and prefer the leaves of Acacia trees.

15c Tree Squirrel (Funisciurus Congicus)
The tree-squirrel is a smallish rodent with a characteristic S-shaped tail. Tree-squirrels live singly or in pairs in trees and only descend now and then to look for food. They are pre-eminently day animals who sleep in hollow tree-trunks at night. Their food mainly consists of fruit and nuts, leaves and shoots, birds eggs, young birds, lizards and insects.
1976 Modern Buildings
15c Augustineum College, Windhoek
The Augustineum Training Institution hasa long and interesting history dating from 1866, and for many years it was the only centre where Herero, Damara and Nama teachers could be trained. Like many other institutions of its kind it came into existence through missionary endeavour. For almost half a century it operated under humble though fascinating circumstances at Okahandja and in 1968 it was moved to Windhoek where it now caters for all the ingenous races in SWA.

The Augustineum functions under the Department of Bantu Education. The present college with extensions was built at a cost of R2.8 million. The buildings include a hostel for 700 students, a high school catering for 500 pupils, a teachers training centre for 150 students, a technical and trade centre for 150 pupils and a modern hall that can accommodate an audience of 1,000 and also serves as a gymnasium.

The equipment in the school is modern and adequate. There are science laboratories, a domestic science centre, a typing room, a science lecture room and a well-appointed library. Sporting activities are catered for on a large scale and the necessary sports fields have been constructed on the campus. The students are proud of their institution's history and traditions extending over more than a hundred years. They regard it as an accepted centre of educational and technical training and they are facing the future with confidence, secure in the belief that advancement both in the quality and scope of the tuition offered can only improve in the years ahead.

FDC SWA No 16 - 65,025 Envelopes serviced (75,000 printed)

17 September 1976
Two values

15c Cylinder P102 - P101
20c Cylinder P194 - P103
15c Augustineum College

20c Katututura Hospital
Imperforate Stamps - Originate from full sheets of 100 ex the Postal Archives sold by Stephan Welz on 24 October 2001 as Lot 51
20c Katutura Hospital
This is the name of the modern state hospital in Windhoek where all Non-White population groups receive medical treatment. The hospital, with its intensive-care unit, 11 theatres and 734 beds took four years to complete. Together with the necessary equipment it cost over R9 million. Psychiatric patients and consumptives are treated in an adjacent building housing 448 beds. An average of 570 in- and 260 out-patients are treated daily by 45 medical practitioners, 365 nursing staff members and 162 other administrative staff members. The annual operating costs amount to approximately R4 million.
1976 Water and Electricity Supply
South-West Africa comprises an area of 82,429 600 ha and its topographical and climatic regions are as varied as the appearance and customs of the peoples inhabiting them. It is a country with an abundant mineral wealth that is as yet largely unexploited. The mining of minerals requires a large supply of electric power and water. Coal is one of the few minerals that has not been found in economically viable deposits in South-West Africa and alternative sources of power had therefore to be considered. The greater part of the territory has a low rainfall and consequently there are no perennial rivers. Natural perennial sources are extremely rare. During the previous century, the Ovambo nation settled in Central Ovambo because of the flood-water that accumulated in the numerous depressions.

19 November 1976
Two values

15c Cylinder P132 - P129

20c Cylinder P136 - P133
15c Canal System

20c Ruacana Falls Power Station

Imperforate Stamps - Originate from full sheets of 100 ex the Postal Archives sold by Stephan Welz on 24 October 2001 as Lot 53
The population grew and an additional water supply has had to be provided for their support. Initially, the Oshakati and Eta canals were built to collect the surplus floodwater from the sparsely populated outlying areas and convey it to the densely populated central areas. Without this water, the area would be drought-stricken for at least five out of every ten years.

The Kunene River in the north has an annual flow of 5,000,000,000 cubic metres and is already being developed and utilized as a source of water and hydro-electric power for the benefit of the area. The water is conveyed along canals and is pumped over long distances. The canal that will carry water to Ovambo and later further south has progressed well. The utilization of the water is a great challenge, but will eventually bring relief to man, animals and plants over a vast area.

The hydro-electric power scheme at the Ruacana Falls needs much more extensive planning and construction. The first hydroelectric power station will only be commissioned several years hence. In the meantime, a great deal has already been accomplished towards supplying this developing area with sufficient power.
1977 Namib Desert
29 March 1977
Four values

4c Coastline near Pomona

Cylinder P152 - P149
10c Sossusvlei Dunes

Cylinder P148 - P145
15c Plain near Brandberg

Cylinder P144 - P141
20c Dunes in Sperr Gebiet

Cylinder P140 - P137
The First Day Cover for this issue includes a booklet with the adjoining map on the front. There is a seven page write up on the Namib in Afikaans, English and German by Herman Steyn, the head of Philatelic Services for many years.

FDC SWA No 18 - 96,567 Envelopes serviced
The size of the print in the booklet is small and is tiresome to read.
Herman had command of all three languages and I believe his English version is more than likely a translation as it is heavy going, does not flow and burden’s the brain. I OCR-ed the text which almost fills four A4 pages.

The gist of the write up describes the area from North to South and from West to East. The numerous rivers, that are in the main dry river beds, except during periods of rare rainfall. The unrelenting climate, plants, insects and animals which survive in this arid area. Parts of the coast abound with birds and seal colonies and the former is a good source for the guano industry.

The cold sea current is rich with fish life and provides a good seasonal harvest from the sea that includes a crayfish industry. Part of the history of SWA is touched and an account of the 1908 diamond rush in the region of Kolmannskop.
The foregoing includes tales of wealthy diamond prospectors whose women bathed in champagne!
1977 Strijdom Airport
To be continued

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