On 3 April 1968, South Africa Prime Minister B.J. Vorster announced that five 'non-White' South African University Colleges will be released from their association with the University of South Africa (UNISA). Henceforth the University College of Fort Hare, University College of Durban-Westville, University College of the Western Cape, University College of Zululand and University College of the North were separate entities. Among other things, the institutions were to be called universities and would be subject to certain conditions, be free to provide their own teaching and conduct examinations independently of UNISA. All the five university colleges played a tremendous role in shaping the history of South Africa during the liberation struggle.