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Overview
At the age of 87, Dirk Mudge now publishes his long-awaited autobiography. This remarkable man was involved full time in the politics of South West Africa, and later Namibia, for a period of 33 years. He entered the political arena in 1960 as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the National Party of South West Africa. Mudge describes how he initally supported the ideologies of the national Party, but gradually came to change his views and politics. This inevitably lead to his resignation from the National Party and to the establishment of his own party: The Pepublican Party. He had a personal involvement in the drawing up of the new Constitution of the Republic of Namiba and tries to give answers to questions about why it took Namibia so long to reach independance. He also explains the role South Africa and the international community played in this major event.
Says Dr Piet Croucamp in his preface: “Mudge's memoir does not relive the past in times of modernity. The reader becomes displaced ‒ in a way ‒ to a familiar but awkward if not painful past. The narrative, conceived in stigma and shame, is presented with a “respectability” or even bizarre “reality” which once was “normal” to some and an abomination to others. Dirk Mudge has made a remarkable contribution with a text which merits both literary and scholarly value. The work was not intended as a comprehensive history of Namibia ‒ it is a memoir about the life and times of Dirk Mudge.”
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781485304562 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Protea Boekhuis |
| Publication date: | 09/14/2016 |
| Edition description: | New Edition |
| Pages: | 550 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.70(d) |
About the Author
Dirk Mudge is a farmer and retired politician.
Table of Contents
Preface Piet Croucamp 13
Chapter 1 Introduction 17
Chapter 2 The origin of the Territory Deutsch-Südwest-afrika 28
The 1914 Rebellion 31
South West Africa becomes a mandated territory 32
Politics between two World Wars (1920-1939) 35
Chapter 3 A new beginning in South West Africa 39
My ancestors 41
Rusthof, my birthplace 44
The Depression 45
Boskop, my father's first farm 47
Boetie goes to school 49
The Centenary of 1938 51
I visit Windhoek and Cape Town for the first time 52
The Second World War breaks out 54
Windhoek High School 55
Stellenbosch 57
Chapter 4 Farmer and South West African politician 60
Elandsvreugde 60
My brief sojourn in the world of business 62
I become a farmer 63
Our new farm, Lazy Spade 64
A new community and interesting experiences 65
My first taste of politics 66
Knee-deep in politics 68
Political turmoil 69
The National Party comes to power 72
The awakening of black nationalism 73
Chapter 5 My 20 years in the Legislative Assembly 77
Drought and foot-and-mouth disease 77
A newcomer in politics 78
The Odendaal Report of 1964 81
A "raised-hands" referendum and the expropriation of farms 84
Inauguration of the new Legislative Assembly building 87
My older colleagues in the Legislative Assembly 89
New role players in the National Party 90
On principles, policy, methods and approaches 91
The role of the UNSWP opposition 92
Once again the drought requires all our attention 95
The drought is over, but the political storm continues 95
I become a member of the Executive Committee in 1965 98
Adv. Percy Niehaus still a nuisance 98
Old friends leave us 101
A new team takes over 105
Chapter 6 South West Africa becomes an international problem 108
South Africa versus the United Nations 108
The World Court case (1960-1966) 110
Ongulumbashe, the onset of the Border War 111
Local politics and South West Africa's affiliation with South Africa 115
South Africa says the people of South West must decide themselves 119
Reorganisation of administrative and financial functions 120
Back to politics 121
The first signs of distrust 122
The new administrative dispensation in operation 127
Fundamental differences rise to the surface 129
Chapter 7 My first experience of international politics 132
The South West Africa issue at the World Court for the sixth time 132
Differences about diversity and human dignity 133
Dr Waldheim and Dr Escher visit South West Africa 134
Our political differences intensify 138
The first meeting of the Prime Minister's Advisory Board, 1973 140
I attend the session of the UN General Assembly 141
Chapter 8 Internal political development from 1974 to 1977 147
Five years with John Vorster 147
The Turnhalle Conference takes shape 152
War and peace - strange bedfellows 154
The administration of the country is not neglected 157
The election campaign of 1974 159
New faces in the Legislative Assembly 161
I am expected to take the lead 162
Independence for Angola is announced 166
All options remain open, but to whom? 167
Were we playing for time? 170
The Turnhalle Conference - the first steps 171
The reaction of the National Party to the Conference 175
We travel abroad 177
The inner workings at the Conference 180
The division of functions 181
The bait of an interim government 183
The public must be informed 184
The playing field changes 186
A greater measure of public dialogue 188
The Turnhalle Conference grips the imagination 191
Rumours of discord within the National Party 193
The Prinsloo/Mey controversy 199
The international community and us 202
My Kamanjab speech 205
The Turnhalle Conference proposes an interim constitution 207
A referendum for the whites 208
The international community interferes, but we hold a referendum 211
My last lap in the National Party 216
Back to the drawing board 219
Discord in white ranks 222
The battle for leadership 231
Chapter 9 The Republican Party and the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance enter the scene, 1977 233
A new party sees the light 233
Our task ahead 234
Our first public meeting 236
Minister PW. Botha and I come to blows for the first time 238
Politics become dirty 240
The Turnhalle Conference comes to an end 242
The Democratic Turnhalle Alliance becomes a reality 244
Our own newspaper, Republikein, appears on 1 December 1977 246
Civilians and political leaders pay the highest price 252
My first experience as leader of the opposition 255
The final Western proposals 261
Cassinga, 4 May 1978 263
The political struggle remains intense 264
Diplomatic manoeuvres around the settlement plan 267
The general election of 1978 271
Chapter 10 An own government for South West Africa, 1978-1983 289
The first session of the Constituent Assembly 289
The status of the Constituent Assembly is confirmed 293
The National Party misses a golden opportunity 304
The Constituent Assembly has to take a stand 309
At a crossroad once again 314
A short political interlude 318
The interim government takes shape 323
The National Party hits the brakes 327
The National Assembly gains official status 330
Criticism from white ranks 331
The National Assembly takes off 335
The whites protest 337
Chapter 11 Between two fires, 1979-1983 343
P.W. Botha's dilemma 343
Dr Gerrit Viljoen becomes Administrator General 347
A new Legislative Assembly is elected 350
Danie Hough becomes Administrator General 353
A new American approach under Ronald Reagan 355
The Geneva Conference, 7-14 January 1981 356
EW Botha is seeking a "more representative" government 359
Constitutional principles are laid down 362
Conspiracy to push the DTA aside 363
Pik Botha tries to squeeze me out 366
I come to blows with the Prime Minister 369
The interim government is dissolved 371
Chapter 12 The steep road to independence, 1984-1989 373
P.W. Botha tries to justify his actions 373
New role players, new plans 374
The Multi-Party Conference 375
The last round: The TGNU, myself and Louis Pienaar 378
Meeting with Eben van Zijl again 382
The beginning of the end of the National Party 383
The home stretch to independence 385
The election is announced 386
The last election for whites 387
The establishment of UNTAG 388
I speak to Koevoet 389
An unnecessary human massacre on 1 April 1989 392
The Mount Etjo Conference 393
How does one fight an election without funds? 393
The election campaign and intimidation 398
The hour of reckoning arrives 400
Chapter 13 Writing the Constitution 403
A lost chapter in our history 403
The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly 404
The Standing Committee drafts its procedure 406
The first round: Surveying the terrain 407
Points of material dispute 410
The President's powers and competencies 411
A row over private schools 411
Land reform 415
The character of the State 415
Principles for government policy 415
The President's powers 415
The National Assembly (NA) 416
The Cabinet 416
A Second House of Parliament 416
Fundamental rights 417
Consolidation of our progress at the end of 1989 418
The role of Koos Pretorius during the deliberations 419
The second round: Meeting with our legal advisors 420
The Preamble 421
The capital, national anthem, flag and national symbols 423
Walvis Bay and the offshore islands 423
Official language 424
Citizenship 424
Fundamental rights and freedoms 425
Freedom of association 427
The right to own property 427
The right to political activity 428
Administrative justice 428
Cultural rights 428
The right to education 429
Affirmative action 430
Election and powers of the President 431
The transitional period 433
The powers and competencies of the Cabinet 437
The legislative authority 439
Regional and municipal councils 442
The judiciary 444
The Chairman becomes impatient 446
The position of the current bureaucracy 447
Do principles of government policy belong in the Constitution? 448
The third round: Resolving the differences 452
How to report back 452
Affirmative action on the table again 456
The President once again 458
Judicial authority 464
Outstanding points are settled 464
Did we reach consensus? 466
The Constituent Assembly considers the concept 467
A subcommittee hones the final product 472
The Constitution is officially ratified on 9 February 1990 477
Chapter 14 Independence and afterwards 481
The first National Assembly 481
My three years in the National Assembly 482
Party politics after independence 484
The Republican Party resurges 484
Chapter 15 Reflection 487
Epilogue 494
Selected source references 497
Index 499