Monazite and sphene from the central zone of the Damara orogen of South-West Africa, have yielded ages of 500 ± 20 Myr and 600 ± 25 Myr respectively; these results are discussed in relation to the late Precambrian to early Palaeozoic tectono-thermal history of the region. Although chemically similar to that found in carbonatites, the monazite is probably genetically related to the widespread granitic pegmatites that characterize the central zone of the orogen.