List of colonial governors of South West Africa

This article lists the colonial governors of South West Africa. South West Africa was the colonial predecessor of the modern day Republic of Namibia from when the territory was controlled by the German Empire (as German South West Africa) and later by South Africa.

Colonial governor of South West Africa
Longest serving
Theodor Leutwein
15 March 1894–19 August 1905
German South West Africa
Formation9 April 1883
First holderHeinrich Vogelsang
Final holderLouis Pienaar
Abolished21 March 1990
SuccessionPresident of Namibia

The title of the position changed a number of times. Under German rule, the title of the position went from Commissioner (1884–1893) to Provincial Governor (Landeshauptleute) (1893–1898) to Governor (1898–1915). Under South African rule, the title was Administrator (1915–1977) and Administrator-General (1977–1990).

After the United Nations terminated South Africa's mandate to govern South West Africa, the UN appointed commissioners of its own. They had no authority and South Africa refused to recognize them, and are not included here.

List
  • Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office

German South West Africa
Map of German South West Africa, 1904. It shows the Penguin Islands, which is rare in maps of this region.
Map of German South West Africa (bordered in red), 1905.
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
Magistrat
(Magistrate)
– Heinrich Vogelsang
(1862–1914)
Acting		 9 April 1883 12 May 1883 33 days
1 Adolf Lüderitz
(1834–1886)		 12 May 1883 7 October 1884 1 year, 148 days
Reichskommissar
(Imperial commissioner)
2 Gustav Nachtigal
(1834–1885)		 7 October 1884 20 April 1885 † 195 days
– Heinrich Ernst Göring
(1839–1913)
Acting		 20 April 1885 August 1890 5 years, 3 months
– Louis Nels
(1855–1910)
Acting		 August 1890 March 1891 7 months
3 Curt von François
(1852–1931)		 March 1891 November 1893 2 years, 8 months
Landeshauptleute
(Administrator)
3 Curt von François
(1852–1931)		 November 1893 15 March 1894 4 months
4 Theodor Leutwein
(1849–1921)		 15 March 1894 27 June 1895 1 year, 104 days
27 June 1895 18 April 1898 2 years, 295 days
Gouverneur
(Governor)
4 Theodor Leutwein
(1849–1921)		 18 April 1898 19 August 1905 7 years, 123 days
– Lothar von Trotha
(1848–1920)
Acting		 19 August 1905 November 1905 2 months
5 Friedrich von Lindequist
(1862–1945)		 November 1905 20 May 1907 1 year, 6 months
6 Bruno von Schuckmann
(1857–1919)		 20 May 1907 20 June 1910 3 years, 31 days
7 Theodor Seitz
(1863–1949)		 28 August 1910 9 July 1915 4 years, 315 days

South West Africa
Map of South West Africa (Namibia) with bantustans highlighted (red), 1978.
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
Occupation by South Africa
Military Governor
1 Louis Botha
(1862–1919)		 9 July 1915 11 July 1915 2 days
2 Percival Scott Beves
(1868–1924)		 11 July 1915 30 October 1915 111 days
Administrator
3 Sir Edmond Howard Lacam Gorges
(1872–1924)		 31 October 1915 1 October 1920 4 years, 336 days
4 Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr
(1871–1942)		 1 October 1920 17 December 1920 77 days
League of Nations mandate (administered by South Africa)
4 Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr
(1871–1942)		 17 December 1920 1 April 1926 5 years, 105 days
5 Albertus Johannes Werth
(1888–1948)		 1 April 1926 1 April 1933 7 years
6 David Gideon Conradie
(1879–1966)		 1 April 1933 1 April 1943 10 years
7 Petrus Imker Hoogenhout
(1884–1970)		 1 April 1943 6 December 1951 8 years, 249 days
8 Albertus Johannes Roux van Rhijn
(1890–1971)		 6 December 1951 1 December 1953 1 year, 360 days
9 Daniel Thomas du Plessis Viljoen
(1892–1972)		 1 December 1953 1 December 1963 10 years
10 Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis
(1904–1988)		 1 December 1963 1 November 1968 4 years, 336 days
South African occupation of Namibia
11 Johannes van der Wath
(1903–1986)		 1 November 1968 1 November 1971 3 years
12 Barend Johannes van der Walt
(born 1914)		 1 November 1971 1 September 1977 5 years, 304 days
Administrator-General
13 Marthinus T. Steyn
(1920–1998)		 1 September 1977 7 August 1979 1 year, 340 days
14 Gerrit Viljoen
(1926–2009)		 7 August 1979 4 September 1980 1 year, 28 days
15 Danie Hough
(1937–2008)		 4 September 1980 1 February 1983 2 years, 150 days
16 Willie van Niekerk
(1937–2009)		 1 February 1983 1 July 1985 2 years, 150 days
17 Louis Pienaar
(1926–2012)		 1 July 1985 21 March 1990 4 years, 263 days

See also
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