I was almost born a bastard. My parents got married less than two months before I was born. My mother, Pamela Du Preez, was a music teacher and my father, William Peter Louw, was just finishing school. They had met at a school in Athlone in the Cape Province of South Africa. However, once my mother was pregnant, they moved to Windhoek where my father’s parents stayed. I was born on the 28th of December 1969 in Windhoek.
My past is rather a difficult one, in that much of it has been kept a secret from me. Only recently I found out, my father, the second of two sons, was not yet born when his father, a white man with the surname Oosthuizen, deserted my coloured grandmother (née Plaatjies). My father grew up with his maternal aunt who was married to a Louw, the surname he eventually adopted.
The family histories before this are also quite interesting. My maternal family goes back for eleven generations to when the first Du Preez got off the boat in Cape Town. Funnily enough, this forefather of mine had his son sentenced to exile in Mauritius because of political differences with the then Cape Governor. (He was released before being deported.)
On my father’s side, his grandmother was coloured and married to a white man. To my knowledge, they had fourteen children and most of their dependants still stay in Windhoek and Walvis Bay. Some of my father’s family include Ossthuizen, Plaatjies, Strauss, Green, Louw and Solomon.
As for me, I can tell you very little else, suffice to say, I know almost none of my Bantu grandmothers. It seems the history of my white forefathers overshadows theirs.
In a more serious vein, this problem often occurs even today in our society because most of our Bantu tribes did not have written histories. It is a pity as I would like to have known more about these women who have so greatly influenced my past, and the way I see the future.
My mother and father lived in Windhoek until I was around 4 years old. My father had been working as an apprentice with the John Meinert Printing Company when he got into trouble with the law. One of the white female employees of the company used to drive the employees home after the evening shift and she would first drop of the black employees and then drop my father off last in Khomasdal, the coloured township. Unfortunately one night the police stopped the vehicle and were scandalised that a white women was alone with a non-white man after dark. My father had no choice but to leave the country after this incident. We moved to Pietermaritzburg in the Natal Province of South Africa where my mother passed away in 1975.
When you are faced with a sad event in your life, you often blame God or the fates and cry “Why me?” Sad though this moment was in my life, looking back I realise that this created certain opportunities that would not have been there if I grew up in a traditional nuclear family. The most important of these was that my brother, sister and I were brought up my grandparents in the city of Johannesburg, rather than returning with my father to Windhoek.
In Johannesburg, we lived on the 12th floor of an apartment block called Darragh House belonging to the Anglican Church, right next door to St. Mary's Cathedral. Desmond Tutu (who became Archbishop) was our landlord at the time and the apartment block was a venue for non-racial meetings in the 1970s and ‘80s. This was my first brush with the apartheid struggle though I understood little about it at the time.
I was most fortunate to be enrolled in a private school belonging to the Seventh Day Adventist Church and even more fortunate to be in a class of only five students – the norm was around fifteen students per class. This gave me an unparalleled head start in my learning career.
My grandparents moved to the suburbs of Alberton in 1979 and by the time I completed my primary school I was the Head-boy of the white school.
Unfortunately, I became a small-time thief and was quite regularly on the lookout for things I could steal. In 1985 I stole a wallet and found a bank card with the pin code on it. I withdrew some money and had a ball of a time. Being rather stupid, I also bought a computer on the credit card, AND, then had them deliver this computer to my home address!
Needless to say, I got caught and sentenced to 5 lashes with a light cane. I also had to leave Johannesburg and went to stay with my father in Windhoek. Once again something bad happened, but a new direction for my life was just around the corner.
When I started school at Dawid Bezuidenhout High School in 1986, it was just the beginning of the internal resistance by the pupils in South West Africa against the colonial Apartheid regime of South Africa. Coming from Johannesburg with a crime record made me an easy recruit for one of the leaders in the protests.
Luckily, I finished my schooling in 1987 with a high enough average to enter University; even though I was not able to speak Afrikaans when I arrived and all my subjects were taught in Afrikaans. Also, I was most fortunate to meet the most beautiful, kind girl in the whole world and she was my girlfriend for the last year of school. Even after twenty years, I can still say I love her, but that is for another story.
It was during my last year at school that I also found my second and still true love, “The written word.” It started as an expression of my feelings for my girlfriend through poetry, then to printing a school newspaper allowing us to see each other after school. Till today, I feel honoured to be able to write for the pleasure and enjoyment of others.
Here is one of my first attempts at poetry with a meaning:
My Philosophy on Life
What is the meaning of life?
If you know please tell me:-
Some say it’s finding a compatible wife
Others: knowing how to help those in strife.
To me it means; - (1) being able to love
And having some special to receive it;
(2) Being able to worship the One above;
And (3) being remembered by those you love.
I’ve seen people trying the first and last
But never caring much for the second
As they want to live in the lane marked fast
And in so doing never really achieve happiness that can last
My next question would then naturally be
What are we doing to find meaning in life?
Why I ask is quite simple see,
Cause everyone only cares for “I; Myself and Me”
So how do I achieve it you ask?
I’m not sure but I’m trying real hard
And I must admit it’s quite a hard task
But I’ll keep with it till I’m put in a cask.
So why don’t we all try
To achieve these three ideals
Cause then there’ll be much less reason to cry
And none of us with the Devil will have to fry!!
The following section was added after the Foreword was written by Hon. Toivo ya Toivo. It was on the occasion of the 21st Birthday celebrations of Namibia's Independence.
Upon entering my first year at University (then called the Academy), it was clear theirs was a racial divide on campus. Most students would be sitting in groups of whites, or coloureds, damaras, girls, boys, etc. I was fortunate to befriend students who saw past these barriers and were intent upon their studies, and could debate on the politics of the day. In fact, we became part of the debates within the leadership and would often find ourselves in the minority on some of the issues when a vote was taken.
In one of the first votes, I remember being on the losing side – the debate was on the language used in the classes. For me, and my friends, we were sufficiently proficient in English and managed well. But some of our fellow students came from Afrikaans schools and sometimes struggled with the English. The Namibia National Student's Organisation (NANSO) insisted on English only and we were outvoted. Funnily enough, all my classes were in English anyway in the science faculty.
However, within the first three months of 1988, the situation had deteriorated within schools throughout the country due to the army camps being built next to school. The biggest issues were the prevention of students attending classes and the regular rape or molestation of students by the South Africa army personnel.
This led to a consolidation of all students country-wide – including our students at the Academy.
The Internal Struggle in the 1980's
During the 1980’s the battle for the hearts of the Namibian people was being fought. The PLAN combatants were waging war with their Angolan, Cuban and Russian allies, but this was taking place outside the borders of the country. Inside the country, the battle was in the form of protest and civil disobedience.
The internal struggle included famous Namibians such as Hendrik Witbooi, Danny Tjongarero, Niko Bessinger, Anton Lubowski, John Pandeni and Ben Ulenga. They were harassed, beaten and arrested continuously by the South African regime.
However, the regime felt it was winning. They had created ethnic authorities and many of these leaders had convinced the people of the need for managed democracy versus the communist take-over by SWAPO.
All that changed when the students started participating in the struggle. In 1987 the police were unable to control and prevent the students from running through Katutura and Khomasdal, with some of the marchers reaching the central business district. By mid 1988, the South African regime and their puppet government was losing control. Over 75 000 school students were boycotting schools throughout the country in protest at the South African army and police repressions. The boycotts began at the Ponhofi Secondary School in Ovamboland.
Laws such as the Protection of Fundamental Rights Act (No. 16 of 88) were being used to prevent the gathering of any kind. This specific law was contested by the Namibian National Students Organisation and others and was found to be unconstitutional. This legal battle is still used around the world when discussing human rights as it "creates criminal offences for activities which in democratic societies have been perfectly acceptable and legal."2
In legal literature, “The period of 1985 to Independence … an historical prelude because it arguably sets the stage for the constitutional development that followed Independence.”3
Unfortunately, this internal struggle for Independence has largely been neglected during our literature. However, these students of this period are now starting to actively once again participate in the socio-political sphere, especially via Facebook and other social online media sites where they have a large influence among their peers, and the youth.
So once again in 1988 I found myself in jail, this time for political reasons. The police arrested 37 students and kept the women in Windhoek, while the men were taken to Seeis. I will always remember my comrades from these days with great fondness. It was a time when I came to truly appreciate how valuable support is for one's own well-being.
The picture on the front of the book was taken upon our release.
After leaving the Academy of Tertiary Education (without completing my degree), I spent two years gaining experience in computing hardware, and started my own company. Being a non-white business in this field in Namibia was extremely difficult, and I became a member of the Windhoek Business Chamber - essentially a black chamber of commerce. I provided my services free of charge to this body as well as the umbrella organisation for chambers in Namibia, the Namibia National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NNCCI).
At this time, the white businesses belonged to the Windhoek Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) and the emerging businesses as well as some long-standing anti-apartheid businesses such as Woermann & Brock, joined the newly created NNCCI. The government was very supportive of the NNCCI, but also wanted to see a united private sector voice.
The Secretary General at the time, Mr. Peter Bond, requested my assistance in the development of the chamber newsletter, the Namibia Business Journal, which was envisaged as monthly business publication for Namibian companies. I was later invited to join the staff during 1991 and had overall responsibility as editor as well as spearheading the membership drive.
The core leadership (mostly comprising business personalities that were in the country during the liberation struggle) realised in these early years that there was first a need to encourage returning business personalities to also become part of the movement. This “internal” business community consisted of names such as Matheus Shikongo, Navin Morar, Christie Bendade, Rick Kukuri, Oscar Norich, etc. spent their own money and lots of volunteer time to make the chamber movement a success.
To develop this united black business front, it was decided to identify the business leaders within the returning Namibians. I was privileged to meet many of these personalities and was especially impressed by the woman in business such as Joan Guriras, Sandy Tjitendero and Anne Gebhardt.
By the end of 1992, consultative meetings were at an advanced stage but some of the participants on both sides still distrusted each other. For me the pivotal point was when, as the Acting-Secretary General (for a period of three months during 1993 while the post was vacant), I received a personal letter from the State President, Sam Nujoma. He requested me to nominate business leaders to travel with him on an investment promotion tour of the Scandinavian countries. With the letter he requested, “... and for lack of a better word, also white business representatives to accompany me...”.
Without approaching the Executive committee, and only consulting the President, I nominated a number of business personalities, including Mr. Harald Pupkewitz. I shall never forget him calling me personally to grill me about my family before accepting the invitation. This extended trade mission allowed many of the business leaders to interact with the new government, as well as black business representatives. This led to a much greater understanding between the parties.
Upon their return, all of these businesses, most notably Mr. Pupkewitz, supported a united chamber movement. It was thus only a formality before we had a single voice for business.
I worked in almost all departments at the NNCCI, and was trained during this period by an ex-patriate consultant in
•small business development;
•institutional development (policies and procedures);
•human resources management; and
•how to develop, and find funding, for developmental projects.
My last position was that of Head: Communications and Information - this was one of the developmental projects I jointly developed and submitted for funding.
White business versus Black business
Namibia has gone through various political changes over the past two centuries. One thing however is always constant. Once the political change occurs, there is a realisation that political independence means very little without economic ownership change. When the English ruled over Southern Africa they had the economic might. The Afrikaner took over and had to create state institutions such as the “Eerste Nasionale Ontwikkelings Korporasie” (ENOK or First National Development Corporation) to allow Afrikaner businessmen to get a share of the economic pie. They also created other institutions that should be supported by their people to become as powerful as the English ones, for example banks and insurance companies (Sanlam, Santam, etc.).
In much the same way, the black people of Namibia need to become participants in the economy. The first efforts were made in the early 1990’s to unite the two chambers of commerce, namely the Windhoek CCI and Windhoek Business Chamber. This resulted in the Namibia National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the predecessor of the present NCCI.
This was one of the most challenging times in my working life. The mistrust of decades had to be plastered over for the sake of the country and our newly created democracy. We succeeded.
BUT, we only plastered over the problem. The black majority is still not participating in the meaningful way promised by the politicians. Or for that matter, the way the previous English and Afrikaner political movements allowed their voters to prosper.
In 1994, I was offered the job as the Namibian Delegate to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Investment Promotion Service in Paris, France. The Delegate of each country represented is responsible for:
•investment promotion campaigns;
•project development;
•preparation of feasibility studies;
•management of programme budgets; and
•joint-venture project development.
During this period I had an opportunity to study and learn about the investment strategies of amongst others, Mauritius, China, India, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Algeria, Madagascar, Vietnam and Chile. Most of my colleagues were highly educated economists and were attached by their governments from planning or trade and industry ministries. Their experience and willingness to share were invaluable to me coming from a newly liberated country, and me personally having no qualifications in this field! They encouraged me to study Namibia's history and specifically the business strategies of the previous administrations. It was during this period, that I had an opportunity to meet many of the business leaders from the Namibian fishing, agriculture and mining sectors and benefit from their knowledge and experience.
The most important lesson I learnt was that Namibia is competing in the international arena and we would not be given special treatment for very long.
In April 1996, the Minister of Trade and Industry offered me a position as the understudy to the CEO of the Offshore Development Company (ODC). The ODC is responsible for the promotion and regulation of the export processing zone regime, as well as the provision of infrastructure for EPZ enterprises. My duties included:
•the mapping out and implementing of effective promotions and marketing strategies for EPZ investments;
•the publication of information on EPZ investments in Namibia;
•the production of film and video presentation of the EPZ investment opportunities;
•the briefing of investors and visiting delegations on the investment potential;
•responsibility for all written and verbal inquiries on EPZ investment opportunities;
•the organisation of EPZ investment seminars locally and abroad;
•evaluating investment proposals and preparing investment evaluation reports; and
•overall responsibility of all EPZ applications, from initial inquiry to implementation of investment.
I became the Managing Director of Hani A.Z. Yamani Investments (a major shareholder of the ODC) in October 1997. HAZY Investments is a trans-national corporation based in Cyprus and invests in:
a)tourism
b)air transport (passenger and air cargo)
c)energy; and
d)investment and procurement.
As the MD for Angola, Namibia and South Africa, I was a director of the ODC, Kalahari Express Airlines, and the Hope Foundation.
During my working career I have assisted the NCCI as a volunteer and I became an Executive Committee Member of the NCCI for the period 1997-99.
In June 2000 I launched NamBizDot.Com, a company providing business information on Namibian business entities. The database of over 10,000 companies has been contracted by the NCCI, Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), and Namibia Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU) amongst others. In addition, the company had a contract for 2001, with the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA) to represent their export products in Namibia.
From July 2002 till August 2003, my time was spent in Düsseldorf, Germany learning the language and developing a business plan for the creation of a credit rating and business reporting company for Namibia.
Upon returning to Namibia, I developed the NAMBIZ directory, a comprehensive printed directory of all Namibian companies. The first directory was printed in 2004 and 7,000 copies distributed. This was made possible through the assistance of SMEs Compete, an USAID funded initiative.
For three years (2006-2008), I was very fortunate to be a consultant trainer at the Institute for Information Technology (IIT). My past experience and knowledge allowed me to assist the students with the following subjects for the Cambridge International Business Diploma:
•Business Organisation
•Effective Business Communication
•Finance
•Human Resources Management
•Marketing
In 1999 I accepted my first consultancy through my company IT Communications, at the NCCI as the consultant for chamber development. My responsibilities included the recruitment of new members, establishment of business councils and branch offices and the enhanced participation of black business in the chamber movement.
Since June 2000, I have been doing consulting work, primarily for companies interested in investing in Namibia, for example Botswana and Mauritius.
I have also assisted in the following consultancies:
•The ECA/IDRC Pan-African Initiative on e-Commerce (2001)
•SME Service Providers Directory of Namibia for the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) (2002);
•“An Overview of Public ICT Access Points in Namibia” - University of Washington, Center for Information & Society (2008)
For the period 2006-2008, I was also fortunate to be working with the ICT Alliance of Namibia as a part-time employee. In August 2007 I assisted in the report for the “Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development”.
Since 2009, I have been involved in consumer activism and the promotion of a consumer charter for business. This led to the creation of the Namibia Consumer Protection Group in 2010. In addition, I have been most fortunate to be appointed by the Polytechnic of Namibia as a prt-time lecturer in ICT training for government employees.
My working life is now dedicated to the creation of an economic database of Namibia. This project started for me in 1988, and hopefully will be completed in my lifetime.
I have been very blessed in my personal life with women who have loved me and five wonderful daughters who still love me. After leaving my studies, I got married in 1991 and was married for 10 years and had two children, Mikaila and Ziana. I was unfortunately not at home a lot and really missed some of the important experiences in my daughters’ lives. Around the time my daughters started attending school I realised that they were more important than chasing after “fool’s gold” and tried to spend more time by taking and fetching them from school.
I have another daughter, Michelle with a very warm and loving person who still supports my efforts till today. I am very close to her older two daughters, Charmelle and Sherizaan, and they make up my family of five.
Looking back I would not have done anything different. I just hope that my children realise that some of the things I did were important for what I believe the future should be for them, and all the other children of Namibia.
Today I can say with pride that every opportunity the daughters get they spend with me. It is sometimes a bit crowded with all five using the bathroom, doing their hair, having boyfriends visit, etc. but we have an open and trusting relationship.
I pray that this will always be.
“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices calling him father!” - Lydia Maria Child
When I was growing up sport played an important role in our school lives. During primary school I learnt to swim and played cricket as well as rugby. At high school, I played table tennis and volleyball. Unfortunately I was not very good at any of these sports.
At University I was lucky to be friends with a group of students who decided to play handball. Our team was about middle of the league, and it was fun to spend our spare time practising and occasionally winning. It taught me that it is not always the most important thing to win, but rather enjoy the game.
As I do not watch much television other than the news channels, I also am not a very big spectator in sports. However, I am a Liverpool fan when it comes to English League soccer. What can I say, “You never walk alone….”
In our family my sister is the one interested in sports. She has made a career out of it and now works for Formula One (2009).
When I started writing this book I often thought how to tackle the issue of politics, and especially my affiliation or specific party support. After all, “your vote is you secret”.
I have been a supporter of the SWAPO Party since 1988. At the time it was still before Independence and I was involved in resurrecting the party in Khomasdal with people such as Danny Tjongerero, Dr. Kupido, Bobby Sissing, amongst others. Since then I have supported the party through my vote but have not taken an active role.
I do not wish to make statements on party politics but rather would tell you a story about a friend of mine. We often meet during weekends and discuss various issues of the day and if possible also have a sing-along. Recently, we were asked our opinions of the various new parties and the reaction by SWAPO. He answered, “What is SWAPO? I am SWAPO. Nothing outside of me is SWAPO. What I do is what SWAPO does.”
So, regardless of which party I belong to or which one I vote for, that party must be one that makes a difference in my own life, as well as brings improvement for my country.