The chapter explores the history of African linguistics in the Southern African region on Bantu and the so-called Khoisan languages, from an inside-Africa perspective. The focus is on research activities and methodological approaches which were established and home-grown and are largely conducted in loco by African researchers with or without (further) outside stimuli at local universities and research institutions. Such a perspective regards the impact from Europe as more or less imposed or solicited ‘academic fertilization’ for the growth of local and regional structures and institutions. Furthermore, stories of success and failure on African soil are included, suggesting a clear-cut distinction of the apartheid and post-apartheid periods in South Africa and Namibia.