I am currently working on a PhD dissertation on the architecture of the Public Works Department in Namibia (then SWA) during the post-war period. As readers may know, SWA was under South African control during that time, and while the PWD was run by the SWA Administration, all of its Staff came from South Africa.

One architect in particular, a Jacob Afred Joel, studied for a part-time diploma at WITS / Pretoria in the late 30s while working in the South African Works Department, before being posted to SWA between 1945 and 1955 where he was running the show as State Architect. He apparently returned to Pretoria to take up the post as Director of Works for the North Transvaal after his SWA stint.

The majority of the buildings planned (quite banal in many respects) are still standing and I have an almost full set of digitised drawings (ca. 500) of mainly model/type houses, schools, hostels, police stations etc. 

I am interested in any research that may have been carried out on the South African Works Department in the same period, but have not been able to find much. Would anyone be able to assist?

Jens Wiedow - jenswiedow@hotmail.com