The History of Koingnaas – PART 1

The History of Koingnaas – PART 1

This is part 1 of 3:

Koingnaas is part of the longest stretch of coastal desert on the planet. It is part of the Namibia Desert that stretch for nearly 2000 km from the Elephants River in the south to the Curunjamba River in the north of Angola.

This desert is 13 to 14 million years old and started due to the drop in sea temperature because of an ice age. Before this it was a tropical paradise with a summer rainfall. Fossils found proof this theory – and many were found thanks to the mining activities.    

Today this is a winter rainfall area that receive about 100mm of rain per year.

People who stay in Koingnaas still say that the town of Koingnaas, as it is situated, has the best weather and the best natural spring water source in the Namaqualand. 

The town of Koingnaas as we know it today got its name from the farm “Koingnaas”, who’s owner, back in 1915 was a Mr. GH Visser.

The De Beers diamond mining company in South Africa later bought the farm in the 1960’s and also later build the town of Koingnaas from scratch for its workers.

But the history of Koingnaas, and the adjacent farm known as Somnaas goes back more than 300 years – long before diamonds. 

This was the time when copper was very valuable and the search for copper-ore big business.

In Part 2  – we will tell you the story – click to read it here: