Former homeland leader Lucas Mangope has died.
The 94-year-old Mangope formed and lead the United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP), based in the North West province, after he was ousted from his post as head of the former Bophuthatswana, one of many independent black homelands which only apartheid South Africa recognised, in 1994. The homeland now forms part of the North West.
He had been accused of using police brutality to suppress protest.
In 1988 he was reinstated by the apartheid government, following a failed coup led by Rocky Malebane-Metsing, leader of the People's Progressive Party (PPP).
In 1993, ahead of the first democratic elections a year later, Mangope insisted Bophuthatswana would remain independent of the new and integrated South Africa and that he would not allow the elections to take place in "his country", News24 previously reported.
He was removed from office by Foreign Minister Pik Botha and Transitional Executive Council (TEC) member Mac Maharaj in March, 1994.
-- News24