Van Wyk succeeded his father,
Hermanus, upon his death in 1905. However, the German colonial government abolished the role of the Baster Captain, replaced instead by a Council of Basters (
Basterrat). Under Cornelius van Wyk, the
de facto independence of the
Rehoboth area as a
homeland was approved by the Union of South Africa on 9 July 1915. Van Wyk died on 24 April 1924, and was succeeded by
Albert Mouton. == References ==