Rehoboth

city

Rehoboth

ǃAnis ( khi )

Details

Details

Rehoboth aerial photo (2018)

motto

Pro Bono Omnium
(for the good of all)
formerly: Groei in Geloof ( Growing in
Faith)

Basic data

Population
Area
Population Density

28,800 ( 2010 census )
639 km²
44.4 inhabitants / km²

State
Region
Constituency

Namibia
Hardap
Rehoboth City (West)
Rehoboth City (East)

Establishment date

1871

License plate
phone code

R
62

Website

rehobothtowncouncil.org

Political data

Mayor : George Dax ( SWAPO )

Chief Executive Officer : Simeon Kanime (since August 1, 2019)

Last election: 2015

Next election: 2020

City administration address:

Geographical data

Geographical coordinates : 23 ° 19 '0 "S, 17 ° 4' 54" E

Height : 1,385 m

Rehoboth is a city and regional center in the Hardap region in Namibia . The city is about 85 kilometers south of the Namibian capital Windhoek and directly on the B1 . Rehoboth was founded in 1871 and named after the biblical city of Rechovot (in Israel ). Rehoboth today has 28,800 inhabitants.

history

Postage stamp of the Reichspost for German South West Africa with postmark Rehoboth 1901

Rehoboth was founded in 1871 as the tribal seat of the so-called Rehoboth Baster (descendants from mixed marriages between Nama (women) and Boer immigrants from the Cape region ( South Africa )) under their captain Hermanus van Wyk and was intended as a buffer between those who were in constant feud Serving Nama from Hoachanas and Herero from Okahandja. The basters who settled here called themselves Rehoboth Baster from then on (the term “Baster” being understood as an honorary title). Due to its exposed location between these two "superpowers" in what was then South West Africa, Rehoboth was repeatedly the scene of bloody conflicts, looting and destruction, especially after the Swartbooi Nama tribe had settled here.

After Germany took possession of South West Africa and the establishment of the German South West Africa colony , the Rehoboth Baster were one of the first tribes to conclude protection and assistance agreements with the German protecting power (1885) and actively supported them in the desired pacification of the troubled country from Baster associations. At the beginning of the First World War , a Baster volunteer company was set up in Rehoboth under German leadership, but with the express restriction that it could not be used against whites. In return for their loyal attitude, the Rehoboth Baster were granted limited autonomy rights by the German colonial administration. After the Baster rioted against German tutelage shortly before the end of the war in 1915, the South African mandate administration continued to grant them these autonomy rights, but they were revoked again in 1925. The Basters rose up against this measure, but gave in when the South Africans threatened to bomb Rehoboth.

Rehoboth and the Kapsteine of the Rehoboth Baster lost their special rights in the course of independence. The Rehoboth area was divided into three different administrative constituencies, although initially the League of Nations and later also the UN recognized Rehoboth's quasi independent rights . Before Namibian independence, the Basters considered joining the South African Union in order to maintain their independence. In the course of the political upheavals in South Africa, however, this project could not be pursued any further.

Rehoboth was not directly accessed by rail for cost reasons. The Windhoek – Keetmanshoop railway ran past the city for around 12 kilometers. After protests by the city tour, the state built a 60 cm narrow-gauge tram line from the train station to the center of the town. The connecting railway was rented and operated by a Mr. Brauer. Rail operations began on January 15, 1913 and abandoned in the early 1950s.

Local politics

The following official final result was determined in the 2015 local elections .

Political party	be right	Share of votes	Seats
SWAPO	4519	53.8%	4th
UPM	3101	36.9%	3
DTA	0482	05.7%	0
RDP	0179	02.1%	0
UDF	0099	01.2%	0
All in all	8390	100%	7th

Economy and Transport

Rehoboth train station (2018)
23 ° 18′45 ″ S 017 ° 11′14 ″ E

Due to its central location, Rehoboth has good transport connections and a relatively healthy and well-mixed economic structure. In addition to the railway line operated today by TransNamib , the national road B1 runs through Rehoboth and this is where the main road C24 and main road C25 from the Namib-Naukluft National Park and Omaheke meet . Rehoboth train station is located 12 km east of the village.

There are seven elementary schools, two high schools and a technical college, as well as a hospital and the Rehoboth Chamber of Commerce . Because of its rich history, Rehoboth has 72 churches, a relatively high number for the size of the city. Rehoboth is also proud of its mineral bath, which encourages many visitors from near and far to take a cure. The history of the city is richly documented in the Rehoboth Museum .

To the west, near the city, is the Oanob Dam , which supplies the people of Rehoboth with water.