The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo

NOTES

Namibia:

Colonized by Germany in 1884 and known as Deutsch-Südwestafrika. After the defeat of the Germans during World War I, the name was changed to South-West Africa and the country was governed by South Africa under a mandate issued by the League of Nations. The mandate was abolished by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. South Africa remained in power, claiming that the UN had no authority to rescind the mandate, and continued to govern the territory as a virtual fifth province. Apartheid was officially implemented in 1977. In 1988, after two decades of war between SWAPO and South Africa, a UN-sponsored cease-fire ended the conflict. Namibia became independent in 1989.

SWAPO:

Southwest Africa People’s Organization, liberation organization formed in 1960 to fight South African rule. After winning the 1989 elections, SWAPO became the governing party in independent Namibia.

PLAN:

People’s Liberation Army of Namibia, military wing of SWAPO.

SADF:

South African Defense Force, name of the South African military force that fought SWAPO.

The Struggle:

Commonly used in Namibia to describe the long war between SWAPO and the SADF. Much of the war was fought along the more densely populated border Namibia shares with Angola. SWAPO had established bases in Angola. No accurate death toll numbers exist. Conservative estimates reach 25,000 combat casualties.

DTA:

Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, opposition party in independent Namibia. Prior to independence, DTA was associated with the ruling white regime.

Cassinga:

On May 4, 1978, South African planes bombed a SWAPO base deep in Angola, killing an estimated seven hundred people, among them hundreds of civilian refugees.

Angolan Civil War:

A chaotic civil war broke out in Angola after the Portuguese withdrawal in 1975. Among those fighting were the MPLA, supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union, and Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola), supported by South Africa and the United States. SWAPO was aligned with the MPLA and also received support from the Soviet Union as well as China. Hence, both wars, in Angola and Namibia, took on elements of a proxy Cold War. The war in Angola ended in 2002.

CDM:

Consolidated Diamond Mines, mining company located along the southern coast, a subsidiary of the DeBeers Corporation.

Zorba:

A fine whiskey with a smooth licorice finish.