Otavi
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Otavi
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Early Copper MIning |
Main Street Otavi |
Section of the Otavi Mountains |
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The town itself doesn't hold much
attraction for tourists. Situated 62km south of
Tsumeb at the
crossroad junction of the main B1 North - South road; the B8 road to
Grootfontein and the C39 road to
Outjo. Otavi is at the south
western tip of the Otavi Mountains. However, the nearby Otavi
Mountainlands are both beautiful and have many interesting
geological features, so Otavi and its surrounding attractions should
not be overlooked.
It was in the Otavi Mountainlands where rich
copper deposits were worked by the Bushmen and Damara before the
coming of the white-man. The importance of the town's association
with the copper find during the late 19th century gave name to the
company known as O.M.E.G or the Otavi Minen-und-Eisenbahngesellschaft.
The location of the Green-Hill at Tsumeb was the deciding factor
that warranted the relocation of head-quarters of the mining company
to that town. The histories of both towns are closely linked and for
further information on the mining activities in the area please
follow the link to Tsumeb.
Otavi is presently an important centre for the
local farming community and has a large cereal milling plant in the
town. There is a small hotel and several B&Bs, though many tourists
enjoy a stay over at guest farms situated in the valleys of the
Otavi Mountains, which are very picturesque.
Nearby attractions include the Khorab Memorial
which lays just north of the town, the Gaub Cave being
some 35km to the east, and a few kilometres further, the Hoba Meteorite.
The Khorab Memorial:
A proclaimed
National Monument of the place where the Imperial German Forces
officially surrendered to General Louis Botha's Union of South Africa Army on 9
July 1915. OK. The memorial carries a National Heritage Plaque that
states, Kilometre 500 Memorial " It was here that the German troops signed
their capitulation to the troops of the Union of South
Africa on 9 July 1915. The co-signatories of the treaty were
General Louis Botha, Governor Seitz and the Oberstleutenant
Franke. This marked the end of German rule in South West Africa." It's
not very impressive, but it is a little piece of history that commemorates
the culmination of a war that spread its insidious tentacles into our
beautiful land so long ago, and soldiers died for their country's cause, so
I suppose one should pause for a moment and remember them.
Finding the Monument: This
exercise requires concentration, patience and an amount of
determination. Firstly many of the streets in Otavi have no name plates,
so follow these directions carefully and save yourself a lot of
frustration and time. Enter the town from the B1 Road. You will drive
along the above street until you arrive at a 4 way stop sign.
Diagonally to your right will be a SPAR shop. Turn right onto this
road and drive until you arrive at a traffic circle. Turn left. In
this street you will see a PEP Store and a First National Bank.
Drive along this street until you arrive at a T-Junction. The small Otavi
Municipal Office is opposite. It is painted green.
There is a sign 'Khorab Monument'. You drive over what appears to be
waste land for about 70 meters. You then arrive at a fence shown
below. The left hand sign states: "STRICTLY PRIVATE". The right hand
sign that is obscured by overgrown bush indicates that this is the
Farm Rentes. The road forks to the left and to the right. Take the
left hand road passing the 'Strictly Private' sign. You then drive
along a dirt road for 1.7km (1.1mile) and you arrive at the Khorab
Monument. If you take the turn to the right you will end up driving
along a sandy path alongside the rail track. The memorial is behind a farm fence
and stands about 1.5m high.
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Misleading Signs |
Khorab Memorial |
General. L Botha Greets Governor T Sietz |
Signing the Treaty |
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The 1st of August 1914 witnessed the outbreak of World War 1, and it
was on Christmas Day 1914 that General Louis Botha led the Union of South African troops ashore at
Walvis Bay from where, in the
Namibia mid-summer heat they began, what was referred to as the 'South West
Africa Campaign' against the Imperial German Forces.
The war for the German troops soon presented
difficulties owing to sea routes to the ports of
Luderitz and
Swakopmund being blockaded by the Royal Navy. The supply lines for
much needed ammunition and the other needs of the German colonial
army were strangled. The South African forces pursued the German
Army relentlessly and further North by the day.
On 20 May 1915 the Germans sought a solution with
the South Africans that would allow them to keep the northern area
of the Territory. The South Africans, by this time had accumulated a
force of some 35,000 troops within the Territory, refused and insisted on an
unconditional surrender.
The South Africans responded by sending Brigadier
Coen Brits with task force
northwards and around the Germans to seal off attempts of escape to
Angola; a country which also presented difficulties of refuge for
the Germans owing to their strained relations with the Portuguese.
The last area of conflict in the South West Africa
Campaign took place in the Otavi District. It was here that the
Germans, outnumbered, tired and having depleted virtually all of the
needs vital to a fighting force, and without the alternative of
escaping across the border into Angola held meetings on the 4th, 5th
and 6th of July regarding the terms of capitulation.
10h00 on 9th July 1915, as previously agreed
upon and arranged, a train carrying the Governor of German South
West Africa accompanied by Schutztruppe Major Victor Franke and
several junior officers arrived at a point known as Kilometre 500
just North of the small town of Otavi. They were met and welcomed by
General Botha, Colonel de Waal, Major Bok, Major Esselen and Major
Leish, of the South African forces. The terms of surrender were
signed on the wooden table set in a clearing in the bush alongside the rail
track shown in the photograph above ended the hostilities.
The document became known as The Treaty of Khorab.
However, the area and farm known as Khorab is south of Otavi town.
It is at this place where the remainder of the German force of 3,467
men and 204 officers were camped at the
time.
The South West Africa Campaign lasted 203 days, and
ended just under 31 years of German colonial rule in Namibia.
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Local Area Attractions
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Gaub Cave located on the historical Farm Ghaub. The cave is not
'tourist friendly', however, the 'Cavies' amongst you will not want to miss
this-one. Be prepared for an amount of rock-hopping, so good boots are a
must. Not for the Claustrophobic. Guided Tours only and I recommend you
make a booking in advance. Time budget 2-3hr
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Hoba
Meteorite. It weighs-in at over 60 ton, is approximately 3 meters square and
about 1 meter in depth. It contains about 82% iron and 16% nickel. It fell to
earth about 80,000 years ago, and is the largest known-of metal meteorite in the
world. When it came-in to land it didn't cause any crater to be formed, so it
probably had a very low trajectory and 'bounced' to its final landing site on
the Farm Hoba. National Heritage Site. Camping Available. Time budget 1hr
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Travel
To
By Road - Self Drive: From
Grootfontein: Drive the B8 west
for 90km
From Outjo: Drive the C39 east for
155km
From Tsumeb: Drive the B1 south for 62km
From Windhoek: Drive the B1 north for 368km
Distances from (km / miles)
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By
Rail - Scheduled Services
By
Road - Scheduled Services
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Namutoni |
Ondangwa |
Oshikango |
Swakopmund |
Rundu |
Windhoek |
| 162 / 101 |
312 / 194 |
377 / 234 |
498 / 309 |
289 / 180 |
368 / 229 |
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Did You Know ?
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- Just before the German Army surrendered to the South African
troops they dumped many of their field guns, ammunition and
equipment into
Lake Otjikoto.
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