With the outbreak of World War I (1914-1918), the British Empire aimed to secure German colonies in Africa to eliminate potential threats to its territories. German South West Africa, bordered by British-controlled South Africa, became an immediate target. The Union of South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire, was tasked with leading the campaign.
BOOK REVIEWS
Joline Young’s new book, “An uncomfortable paradise” takes us on a journey, part personal, part historical, and a South African history that few know of – early colonial life in Simons Town.
BLUE PLAQUES
The Friedenskirche (‘Church of Peace’) dates from 1912, built to house a German congregation formed in 1888. Designed by Theodore Schaerer, the church remains an important landmark. Its distinctive Bavarian bell-tower was familiar to the German immigrants, many of them living in cosmopolitan Hillbrow. The site was declared a National Monument in 1986.