Oranjemund history
Oranjemund, a diamond in the rough, is one of the newest tourism destinations in Namibia. Situated in the most southern part of the country on the banks of the mighty Orange River and shores of the cold Atlantic Ocean in the //Kharas region, Oranjemund was only opened for visitors in October 2017. Oranjemund was founded in 1928 and proclaimed as a town in 2011.
Oranjemund was officially established in 1936 following Hans Merensky’s discovery of significant alluvial diamond deposits on the north bank of the Orange River and the adjacent northern coastline.
In 1908, a railway worker named Zacharia Lewala stumbled upon a valuable discovery near Luderitz, which sparked a major diamond rush initiated by August Stauch. In the same year, diamond mining regulations were introduced, and the Sperrgebiet (or forbidden territory) was declared.
Furthermore , in 1920 Sir Ernst Oppenheimer formed Consolidated Diamond Mines of South West Africa (CDM). In 1923, CDM concluded the Halbscheid Agreement with the South West African Administration, granting CDM the mining rights for the Sperrgebiet.
Moreover, in 1943 CDM’s Head Office moved from Kolmanskop to Oranjemund, and in 1951, the Oppenheimer Bridge linking Namibia with South Africa was opened, and another higher, wider bridge was built two years later to withstand floods better. Furthermore, in 1961 the first offshore mining concession was granted.
In 1977, CDM’s Head Office moved from Kimberley to Windhoek. Then in 1994, an agreement between CDM and the Government of the Republic of Namibia resulted in the formation of Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Limited. All existing Namibian mining licenses and related rights of the De Beers Group were replaced by a consolidated and rationalized mineral agreement.
In 2010, Project 2050 was initiated with the primary objective of extending sustainable and profitable mining activities beyond 2050. Additionally, in 2011, the Government of the Republic of Namibia and De Beers signed the new structure agreement, which rearranges and equalizes the shareholding structure of Namdeb and De Beers Marine Namibia.
The same year, the Government of the Republic of Namibia declared and proclaimed Oranjemund as a Town. Thus, in 2012 the first elections for Local Authority Councilors were held. From 2013 to 2014, the town transformation process involved the handover of municipal services from Namdeb- Oranjemund Town Management Company (OTMCo) to the Town Council.
On 2 June 2018, Oranjemund was honored with the title of Namibia Small Town of the Year. Additionally, on 11 June 2018, the Oranjemund Town Council and Namdeb Diamond Corporation signed a Memorandum of Agreement on transferring all municipal services, infrastructures, assets, sales of land, and existing improvements.
Therefore, in 2014 the Town Transformation program was launched by OTC, Namdeb, and the local community. Then on 21 October 2017, Oranjemund town was officially opened to the general public with no town entry permits required.
Moreover, in July 2019, Namdeb, together with the Oranjemund Town Council (OTC), held a title deed signing ceremony to mark the sale of the first-ever private property transfers in Oranjemund.
In addition on 3 August 2020, the Oranjemund Town Council took over electricity.
