# List of colonial governors of South West Africa

This article lists the colonial governors of South West Africa. South West Africa was the colonial predecessor of the modern day Republic of Namibia from when the territory was controlled by the German Empire (as German South West Africa) and the Union of South Africa.
The title of the position changed a number of times. Under German rule, the title of the position went from Commissioner (1884–1893) to Provincial Governor (Landeshauptleute) (1893–1898) to Governor (1898–1915). Under South African rule, the title was Administrator (1915–1977) and Administrator-General (1977–1990).
After the United Nations terminated South Africa's mandate to govern South West Africa, the UN appointed commissioners of its own. They had no authority and South Africa refused to recognize them, and are not included here.

## List

* Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office

### German South West Africa

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
| Magistrat (Magistrate) ||||||
| – | | Heinrich Vogelsang (1862–1914) Acting | 9 April 1883 | 12 May 1883 | 33 days |
| 1 | | Adolf Lüderitz (1834–1886) | 12 May 1883 | 7 October 1884 | 1 year, 148 days |
| Reichskommissar (Imperial commissioner) ||||||
| 2 | | Gustav Nachtigal (1834–1885) | 7 October 1884 | 20 April 1885 † | 195 days |
| – | | Heinrich Ernst Göring (1839–1913) Acting | 20 April 1885 | August 1890 | 5 years, 3 months |
| – | | Louis Nels (1855–1910) Acting | August 1890 | March 1891 | 7 months |
| 3 | | Curt von François (1852–1931) | March 1891 | November 1893 | 2 years, 8 months |
| Landeshauptleute (Administrator) ||||||
| 3 | | Curt von François (1852–1931) | November 1893 | 15 March 1894 | 4 months |
| 4 | | Theodor Leutwein (1849–1921) | 15 March 1894 | 27 June 1895 | 1 year, 104 days |
| 4 | | Theodor Leutwein (1849–1921) | 27 June 1895 | 18 April 1898 | 2 years, 295 days |
| Gouverneur (Governor) ||||||
| 4 | | Theodor Leutwein (1849–1921) | 18 April 1898 | 19 August 1905 | 7 years, 123 days |
| – | | Lothar von Trotha (1848–1920) Acting | 19 August 1905 | November 1905 | 2 months |
| 5 | | Friedrich von Lindequist (1862–1945) | November 1905 | 20 May 1907 | 1 year, 6 months |
| 6 | | Bruno von Schuckmann (1857–1919) | 20 May 1907 | 20 June 1910 | 3 years, 31 days |
| 7 | | Theodor Seitz (1863–1949) | 28 August 1910 | 9 July 1915 | 4 years, 315 days |

### South West Africa

| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
| Occupation by South Africa ||||||
| Military Governor ||||||
| 1 | | Louis Botha (1862–1919) | 9 July 1915 | 11 July 1915 | 2 days |
| 2 | | Percival Scott Beves (1863/68–1924) | 11 July 1915 | 30 October 1915 | 111 days |
| Administrator ||||||
| 3 | | Sir Edmond Gorges (1872–1924) | 31 October 1915 | 1 October 1920 | 4 years, 336 days |
| 4 | | Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr (1871–1942) | 1 October 1920 | 17 December 1920 | 77 days |
| League of Nations mandate (administered by South Africa) ||||||
| 4 | | Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr (1871–1942) | 17 December 1920 | 1 April 1926 | 5 years, 105 days |
| 5 | | Albertus Johannes Werth [de] (1888–1948) | 1 April 1926 | 1 April 1933 | 7 years |
| 6 | | David Gideon Conradie [de] (1879–1966) | 1 April 1933 | 1 April 1943 | 10 years |
| 7 | | Petrus Imker Hoogenhout [de] (1884–1970) | 1 April 1943 | 6 December 1951 | 8 years, 249 days |
| 8 | | Albertus Johannes Roux van Rhijn [de] (1890–1971) | 6 December 1951 | 1 December 1953 | 1 year, 360 days |
| 9 | | Daniel du Plessis Viljoen [de] (1892–1972) | 1 December 1953 | 1 December 1963 | 10 years |
| 10 | | Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis [de] (1904–1988) | 1 December 1963 | 1 November 1968 | 4 years, 336 days |
| South African occupation of Namibia ||||||
| 11 | | Johannes van der Wath [de] (1903–1986) | 1 November 1968 | 1 November 1971 | 3 years |
| 12 | | Barend van der Walt [de] (1914–2002) | 1 November 1971 | 1 September 1977 | 5 years, 304 days |
| Administrator-General ||||||
| 13 | | Marthinus T. Steyn (1920–1998) | 1 September 1977 | 7 August 1979 | 1 year, 340 days |
| 14 | | Gerrit Viljoen (1926–2009) | 7 August 1979 | 4 September 1980 | 1 year, 28 days |
| 15 | | Danie Hough (1937–2008) | 4 September 1980 | 1 February 1983 | 2 years, 150 days |
| 16 | | Willie van Niekerk (1937–2009) | 1 February 1983 | 1 July 1985 | 2 years, 150 days |
| 17 | | Louis Pienaar (1926–2012) | 1 July 1985 | 21 March 1990 | 4 years, 263 days |