Stampriet

{{Infobox settlement   |name = Stampriet |other_name = |native_name = {{langx|naq|ǂĀǂams}} |nickname = |settlement_type = [[List of villages and settlements in Namibia|Village]] |motto =  |image_skyline = File:Stampriet.jpg |imagesize = 300 |image_caption = Bird's eye view of western part of Stampriet |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Namibia  |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_mapsize =300 |pushpin_map_caption =Location in Namibia  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Namibia}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Namibia|Region]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Hardap Region]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of constituencies of Namibia|Constituency]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Mariental Rural]] |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |established_title = Founded |established_date = 1898  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =Imperial  |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 =  |area_land_km2 =  |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi =  | population_footnotes = <ref name=nsa2023/> | population_total = 3,388 | population_as_of = 2023 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title =Ethnicities |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = [[South African Standard Time]] |utc_offset = +2 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|24|20|S|18|24|E|region:NA|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type =  |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]] |blank_info = [[Desert climate#Hot desert climates|BWh]] |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }} {{Contains special characters|Khoekhoe}}

'''Stampriet''' is a village in the [[Hardap Region]] of central [[Namibia]]. It had 3,388 inhabitants in 2023.

==Geography== Stampriet is located {{Convert|64|km|abbr=on}} north-east of [[Mariental, Namibia|Mariental]] and {{convert|1,177|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, in a barren area on the upper reaches of the [[Auob River]] where humans and animals alike depend on [[borehole]] water.<ref>[http://www.maplandia.com/namibia/hardap/stampriet/ Stampriet, Namibia] at Maplandia</ref> Stampriet is the administrative center of the [[Mariental Rural]] electoral constituency.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Constituencies | publisher=Hardap Regional Council | url=https://hardaprc.gov.na/regional-councillors | accessdate=7 January 2024}}</ref>

{{Historical populations|1970|266|2011|1,890|2023|3,388|percentages=pagr|align=none|footnote=Source:<ref name=nsa2023>{{cite web | title=4.5 Population by town and census years (2011 and 2023) | url=https://nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf | work=Namibia 2023 - Population and Housing Census. Main Report | publisher=[[Namibia Statistics Agency]] | access-date=23 November 2024 | pages=33–34}}</ref>}}

==History== Stampriet was founded in 1898 as a trading post in what was then [[German South West Africa]]. It was the scene of many battles between German and Nama troops. In 1970, the population included 70 whites, 1 mixed-race person, and 195 blacks.

The name ''Stampriet'' is an [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] translation of the [[Khoekhoe language|Khoekhoe]] name Aams. Given that ''stamp'' is Afrikaans for "bump," and ''riet'' is Afrikaans for "reed," it is likely named ever after the reeds one must trample to reach the watering hole or as a place where the "reed dance" or [[Umhlanga (ceremony)]], the famed royal ritual in southern Africa, was held. At first it was called ''Stamprietfontein'', but the suffix was abandoned later.

==Economy and infrastructure== The local boreholes are strong, sometimes yielding up to 3.5 million liters of water a day, allowing local farmers to irrigate grain crops, especially corn and lucerne.

Stampriet is home to Privatskool Elnatan, founded in April 1992, which has 370 students in grades 1 through 12 and 61 staff. Due to the town's small size, 80% of students live in the school's four dormitories, coming from around the country since few private schools in Namibia offer Afrikaans-language education through grade 12. All instruction is in Afrikaans except for the vocational department.

==Politics== Stampriet is governed by a village council that has five seats.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Know Your Local Authority | publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research | newspaper=Election Watch | year = 2015 | issue=3 | page=4}}</ref>

In the [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2010|2010 local authority election]], a total of 349 votes were cast in the village. [[SWAPO]] won with approximately 74% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking seats, [[Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)|Rally for Democracy and Progress]] (RDP) received approximately 20% of the vote, followed by [[Democratic Turnhalle Alliance]] (DTA, 5%) and the [[Congress of Democrats]] (CoD) which received 0 votes despite being on the ballot.<ref>[http://www.ecn.na/results/2010/Press_Release_Local_Authority_-_Stampriet.pdf Local Authority Election Results for Stampriet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717180831/http://www.ecn.na/results/2010/Press_Release_Local_Authority_-_Stampriet.pdf|date=2011-07-17}}</ref> SWAPO also won the [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2015|2015 election]] and gained four seats (460 votes). The remaining seat went to the DTA which obtained 63 votes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Local elections results | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | page=3 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | date=28 November 2015 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210194328/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | archivedate=10 December 2015 }}</ref>

In the [[2020 Namibian local and regional elections|2020 local authority election]] "serious procedural errors" were discovered for the Stampriet village council. Some voters had been handed ballot papers without being registered as living in the village, as is required for the local authority election. No initial result were announced, and the electoral court ordered a re-run.<ref>{{cite news | last=Iikela | first=Sakeus | title=ECN files to nullify Aroab, Koës elections | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/206922/archive-read/ECN-files-to-nullify-Aroab-Koës-elections | date=4 December 2020 | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | page=3 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The re-run was conducted on 26 February 2021 and won by the newly formed [[Landless People's Movement (Namibia)|Landless People's Movement]] (LPM). LPM gained 353 votes and three seats in the village council, followed by SWAPO with two seats (272 votes).<ref>{{Cite web | title=Final Results for the Rerun Elections for the Aroab, Koës, Stampriet Local Authorities and Mariental Rural Constituency | date=27 February 2021 | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | url=https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ELECTION-RESULTS2021.pdf | access-date=7 March 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Notable people== Former [[Namibia national rugby union team|Namibian Rugby]] star [[Jacques Burger]] resides in Stampriet.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Namibian rugby at a standstill - Burger | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | publisher=[[Namibia Press Agency|Nampa]] | date=28 January 2020 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/87467/read/Namibian-rugby-at-a-standstill---Burger}}</ref>

==References== ===Notes=== {{reflist}} ===Literature=== * (af) [http://www.privaatskool-elnatan.com/ Elnatan Private School website]. URL accessed January 13 2016. * (en) Potgieter, D.J. (edit.) 1974. [[Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa]]. Cape Town: Nasou Limited. * (en) Raper, Peter Edmund. 2004. New Dictionary of South African Place Names. Johannesburg & Cape Town: Jonathan Ball Publishers.

[[Category:Villages in Namibia]] [[Category:Populated places in the Hardap Region]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1898]] [[Category:1898 establishments in German South West Africa]]