OUTJO
OUTJO
Tom Lambert became the first white resident when he established a trading post in 1880. He found some Herero people at the fountain and build his house and gardens on today's erf 23 and 21 respectively.
Outjo's history before this is very vague and even though a few missionaries were active in this part of then Hereroland no one considered Outjo for possible settlement prior to Lambert.
Outjo felt under the Otjimbingwe magistrates district (Bezirksamte), established by the German Governor, von Lindequist around 1890. Outjo became a prominent area and acted as headquarters when "RUNDERPES" broke out in 1895 and a "sperline" was established to control the disease. Outjo then housed a German military contingency.
Von Lindequest declared Outjo a constituent in his major network of magistrate districts after he visited and drew up Schults agreements in 1897 with the Topnaars and Swartbooi ethnical groups. This lead to the 2 day Swartbooi war around Grootberg on 26th and 27th February 1898. Trouble began only 3 months after the agreements were signed.
Hauptmann von Estdorff was the Military commander that also assumed the role of "Bezirkmann" for the civil administration as well. He managed to finalize decent district borders by 1902 after agreements with Heroro chiefs in the area. He also planned the town and the first erwen were given to Tom Lambert on 4 May 1898. The first business, Damara Namaqua Handelsgesellschaft, bought an erf in 1900. Eight trading licenses were given out and the district housed 151 white people from ZAR, Cape Colony, England, Russia and Germany.
Other developments were the Post office at Outjo and a Police station at Okaukuejo to control pouching in the Etosha pan. Elephant, Oryx, Duiker, Steenbok and Rhino has already been declared "KROONWILD"
The German / Hereo war of 1904-1905 stopped growth in Outjo, it had only 62 non soldiers until middle 1905 when vehicles used for the war returned.
In 1906 the following businesses were registered:
During the same year the Bezirksmann decided to house all natives on a piece of ground at the East of Outjo, away from the town. The reason provided was that they very messy, smelled bad and were up to mischief. Outjo then had 237 white inhabitants which 164 were Schutztruppe.
During 1907 the white population grew by 30, Okaukuejo and the Etosha has been declared a wildlife conservation area and even though farmers were still allowed to collect salt a few were summoned to court in Windhoek after they shot Ostriches. Outjo's only pastor, Erw Brockmann from the Rhynse Missionary refused to give services to white inhabitants or soldiers and concentrated only on the natives. He also started a school for natives, while request from the Bezirksmann, Estdorff for a white school was not granted and Brockmann refused his help. The first liquor license was granted in 1907 and the road and water points to Okaukuejo was completed.
In 1908 the white population was 253 and expeditions were undertaken to the West coast to find alternative harbors to the troublesome Swakopmund harbor. Very good rain and malaria was experienced.
No rain during 1909 again, caused food shortages in Ovamboland and Koakoveld and Outjo acted as distribution point for emergency rations. Many natives died and the Portuguese from Angola has been reported to exploit the natives by trading with bad liquor that had many chiefs addicted. On 23 December Outjo's Bezirksratt were given executive rights.
In 1910 the white population was already 319 with only 116 Schutztruppe. This year also saw the law being enforced better on white inhabitants with a few jail sentences for felonies previously ignored. Another good rain season with accompanying malaria deaths were reported. The Rhynse missionary church and school was opened with a 450 mark donation from the Bezirksratt. Even though Outjo had 35 white children, no white school was erected since the government did not support it yet.
Buschman were living around Outjo in the hills and were reported to cause trouble.
His Royal Highness, Prins Leopold visited Outjo and went hunting in the Etosha. Public roads were conveyed and road signs with distance blocks erected.
White farmers started to immigrate to Angola despite request from the Bezirksmann to reconsider with no better future in Angola. By 1912 Outjo had no white farmers left with most that left for Angola, but also a few that went back to South Africa. The 6th company was send to construct a railway line and the towns health services relied only on a nurse. Business only flourished after October 1912 when the sixth company returned.
Water shortage and the lack of a school mostly restricted growth. The outbreak of stomach fewer resulted in numerous fatalities, especially amongst the natives. Taxes were introduced. All requests to bore for water was ignored by Windhoek.
During 1914 they eventually bore and found water. Brandsiek and stomack fewer outbreaks were also experienced again. Outjo however realized that it would not need to close down. Plans were made to erect schools, but the available funds fell short.
The new Bezirksmann, Dr. Schultse-Jena was murdered at Fort Naulila in Angola, when he went to fetch food supplies bought in Angola due to the difficulty caused by the war, in getting it from Swakopmund or Walvisbay.
Union troops took hold of Outjo on 28 June 1915. Most documents of the Bezirksampt Outjo were destroyed. Civil soldiers called on were released and only German soldiers in the permanent force were repatriated. Developments grind to a standstill until 1920.
Outjo has been under military management until 1920 when magistrate L.C.H. Albertyn was send to administrate the town. 1920 also saw farms being bought by people from the South African union. They brought with some capital and business flourished again.
The Primarary School was eventually granted and build in 1921 for 18 white children with a hostel for 9. Inhabitants requested the Administrator to allow a town council in December 1923 when magistrate Albertyn's jurisdiction ended. They received the go ahead in 1930.
The town management team consisted of 5 members: The Magistrate ex-officio, Jacobus Johannes Meyer, Ernst Gerhard Schumann, Edwin C. G. Kleingüther and Benjamin Gottlieb Lategan. Their initial agenda focused on: Roads, New water-scheme, mosquito fighting and fencing.
The school had a fairly strong agricultural activity with animals and gardens. A swimming pool was build in 1938. This were OK Foods are today (2007).
The Second World War saw new inhabitants arriving and another financial injection. Colonel P.I. Hoogenhout, Administrator of Southwest-Africa endorsed a petition from 1943 and declared Outjo a municipality on 1 April 1944. L.J. Haasbroek, B.G. Lategan and C.H. Rothmann has been elected, while A.G. Oberholzer, A. Swanepoel and M. Goldstein with Magistrate H.B. Erlank has been appointed by the Administrator on the council. By 1950 Outjo had a powerplant installed and new inhabitants were flooding in. Corrugated buildings were temporarily allowed to be erected to cope with the demand for housing. The municipality granted 45 building loans between 1952 and 1954 to erect permanent houses. The local hospital was inaugurated in 1950. Word from our older white inhabitants are that this was erected with private funds.
The Secondary School started in 1951 and due to the fast expansion, they soon occupied some rooms in the Magistrates office. The Secondary School and hostels were completed in 1954 and expanded in 1961. German as teaching medium has only been introduced in 1955.
During 1955 and 1956 the biggest challenges were to get the existing water and electrical installations upgraded. Etoshapoort, then being labelled a very modern location has been planned and laid out in 1955. The families relocated between 1960 and 1964 from the old area originally allocated by the German "Bezirksmann" in 1906.
The municipality build new offices and rest camp, predominantly for tourist during 1957.
The first tarred roads were completed in 1959 when the new power supply has been delivered as well. The abattoir was also upgraded.
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