Witvlei
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Witvlei
ǃUri ǃKhubus | |
|---|---|
 Witvlei AFM church | |
  Witvlei Location in Namibia | |
| Coordinates: 22°24′59″S 18°29′49″E / 22.41639°S 18.49694°E | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | Omaheke Region |
| Constituency | Okarukambe Constituency |
| Elevation | 4,751 ft (1,448 m) |
| Population (2023)[1] | |
• Total | 2,633 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Climate | BSh |
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Witvlei (the Afrikaans word for white marsh) is a village in the Okarukambe Constituency in the Omaheke Region of central-eastern Namibia. It is known for its meat production and had a population of 2,633 people in 2023.
Witvlei is situated on the B6 150 km (93 mi) east of Windhoek on the way to Gobabis.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1,524 | — |
| 2023 | 2,633 | +4.66% |
| Source:[1] | ||
Witvlei receives an average of 317.7 millimetres (12.51 in) of rainfall per year. In the 2010s drought, the lowest figure recorded was 67 millimetres (2.6 in) in the 2018/2019 rainy season.[2]
History
The original name of the village in Khoekhoegowab (Damara/Nama) is ǃUri ǃKhubus (white fountain).[3]
The settlement was the site of the Battle of Witvlei in the First Herero-Nama War in March 1864. Maharero, with the help of the hunter Frederick Green (known among the Ovaherero as Kerina), led a contingent of 1,400 Ovaherero from Otjimbingwe against the Orlam Afrikaners under Jan Jonker Afrikaner. Afrikaner's forces were defeated and they fled, although a number of other battles followed elsewhere.[4][5]
Economy and infrastructure
Witvlei is known for its meat production.[6] Witvlei Meat was inaugurated in August 2006 and was for several years the only significant employer and taxpayer in the village.[7] The abattoir has a slaughter capacity of 27,000 cattle annually.[8] Financial problems and arguments with Namibia's biggest meat producer MeatCo over the export quota to Norway led to a closure of the abattoir in 2014.[9] It was set to reopen in 2016 but remains closed as of May 2017[update].[10]
The Witvlei Street Kids Center was inaugurated in the village in 2001. The regional council donated an empty, un-serviced plot to the project in November 2004, and in December 2005 the center was built with money donated by the Suiderhof Dutch Reformed Church congregation and various individuals and companies. Two pre-fabricated houses were transported from Windhoek all the way to Witvlei.[11]
