On this day, the League of Nations officially granted South Africa a Class C mandate to administer South West Africa (present-day Namibia) following Germany’s defeat in World War I. This decision allowed South Africa to govern the former German colony, but in practice, it marked the beginning of decades of colonial rule and apartheid-like policies imposed on the local African populations.
South Africa administered the territory as a de facto fifth province and later refused to relinquish control even after the League of Nations was dissolved, leading to international disputes. The fight for Namibian independence would continue until the country finally gained freedom in 1990.
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