In reply to Robert Durran:
Nice article! I've been thinking about getting out there again, there really isn't anywhere else quite like it.
The Normal Route on the Spitzkoppe is a great fun expedition and, as I recall, the only technically hard bit is reaching the infamous chipped handhold without standing on your second's shoulders. It's a boulder problem off a big ledge, so isn't as scary as HVS makes it sound even if it is nearly at the top.
Sounds like there a bolted belay at the top now. When we did it the only belay was the summit cairn, so we just downclimbed the last easy slab pitch (left of the chimney you describe, I think).
My understanding is that driving off the recognised tracks is discouraged. I would really ask people to be careful - there's a lot of unique and vulnerable wildlife, like the ground-living chameleons.