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This paper traces the early socio‑political and urban development of Oshakati, focusing on key events that shaped its emergence during the colonial period. It documents the pivotal 1954 meeting at the Ondangwa airfield attended by South African and Portuguese officials which set in motion plans for a new administrative capital for Owamboland and raised discussions on water infrastructure, including the proposed Kunene–Owambo canal. The selection of a site along the Okatana seasonal river led to the construction of the Oshakati reservoir and, later, the Oshakati State Hospital, inaugurated in 1966 and regarded as the town’s founding moment. The study further reflects on how apartheid-era policies and the onset of the War of Independence transformed Oshakati from a regional capital into a military stronghold marked by social tensions, rapid population influx, and the proliferation of shanty settlements. It provides historical context for understanding the spatial and social dynamics that continue to shape Oshakati today. |
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