Rehoboth

Rehoboth is a Town in Central Namibia and lies on a high elevated plateau with several hot springs. Khoikhoi name, of Anis, means 'smoke' from the steam seen, at the hot springs on winter mornings. In 1870, the Basters, who had migrated out of the Cape Colony in 1868. They were granted permission to settle at Rehoboth by the participants of the 'Peace Conference of Okahanja' on 23 September 1870. Within a few years the Basters were closely linked to Rehoboth and became Rehoboth Basters or Rehobothers. There population increased rapidly from an initial 333 in 1870, 800 in 1874 and 1500 by 1885. 

In 1885, Baster Kaptein Hermanuas van Wyk signed a 'Treaty of Protection and Friendship' with the German Empire which permitted him to retain a degree of autonomy in exchange for recognising Colonial Rule. Relations between Rehoboth and Germany remained close for more than 20 years but in 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, Germany's use of Baster Soldiers to guard South African Prisoners, led them to revolt. German forces attacked Rehoboth, committed atrocities against them but were not able to destroy the Baster's position! Shortly after the Germans retreated and the Baster community was reprieved.

When the Namibian Population and Housing Department took a census of the general population in 2011, the numbers had risen to 28 843. 

Namibia was occupied by South Africa, in 1915 and 10 years later a second rebellion broke out at Rehoboth. This revolt collapsed, however, when colonial forces, armed with machine guns and supported by two warplanes, marched into the town and arrested more than 600 people.