I posted a question late last year, about whether a 5th Bantustan had
become independent of S.Africa, along with Bophuthatswana, Transkei, Ciskei
and Venda. I recalled having seen one mentioned, but didn't note the
reference at the time.
I have since answered the question, purely by chance, to the negative (just).
It appears RSA attempted to force independence on a 5th homeland,
KwaNdebele, in 1986, but this met with violent resistence fomr youth and
the royal family of the area over 86/87, and was thus never declared
formally, and KwaNdebele maintained its status as a homeland, along with 5
or so others, like Lebowa and KwaZulu, etc.
(p1731,"Africa Today", Africa Books, 2nd edition, London, 1991.)
However, some publications seem to have jumped the gun, and mentioned the
independence of KwaNdebele in 1986, only to have to revise themselves later.
Thus it was with "New African Yearbook", I.C. Magazines, London, in its 7th
edition of 1987-88 (p320), which stated KwaNdebele HAD been declared
independent in 1986. This was dropped form later editions (ie 8th edition,
1991/92), and reference was only made to the 4 we all know of.
Brendan Whyte
Geography Dept
University of Melbourne
Australia
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