Prime Minister, B.J.Vorster, states that South Africa is still committed to granting independence to Namibia before the end of 1978

On 17 December 1920, South Africa undertook the administration of Namibia (then known as South West Africa). The reason for this was that South West Africa had been a German Colony.  Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany as a former Axis Power ceded all its colonial possessions to the Allied Powers. However, after the dissolution of the League of Nations in 1946, South Africa refused to renew its trusteeship agreement with the United Nations. Further, in 1969, South Africa began imposing its Apartheid policies on the citizens of South West Africa. This proceeded till 1970, when the United Nations threatened to impose harsh measures against South Africa for failing to allow Namibia to become independent. On 15 February 1978 BJ Vorster, the Prime Minister of South Africa promised to grant South West Africa independence before the end of the year. This was to occur after South West Africa had held a general election. This election never took place, and South Africa continued to administer South West Africa as a province up until 1990, when South West Africa finally gained its independence and became known as Namibia. References: The Namibian War of Independence 1966-1988, Wars of the World [online]. Available at: onwar.com [accessed 8 February 2010] Belfiglio.V.J, (1979), The Issue of Namibian Independence,  African Affairs, Vol.78, No.313, (October.,1979),pp. 507-522.