Transitional Government of National Unity (Namibia)

The Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU) (Oorgangsregering van Nasionale Eenheid (ORNE)), was an interim government for South West Africa (Namibia) between June 1985 to February 1989.

Background
Following the 1975–1977 Turnhalle Constitutional Conference, the first multiracial elections were held in the occupied territory in 1978, and a National Assembly as well as a Ministers' Council was constituted. Dirk Mudge became chairman of the Ministers' Council. Already in 1972 the United Nations had decreed SWAPO to be the "sole legitimate representative" of Namibia's people, but SWAPO was not invited to the Turnhalle conference and boycotted the subsequent elections. The United Nations Security Council consequently declared the election null and void, and the interim government illegitimate.

Following interference by the South African Administrator-General the Council of Ministers resigned, and on 18 January 1983 South Africa accepted the dissolution of both the legislative and the executive body without elections being scheduled, and again assumed full administrative authority over South West Africa.

The subsequent void was filled by South African administrators. Willie van Niekerk was appointed administrator-general for South West Africa and Jan F Greebe became chief executive officer. A Judicial Commission was appointed. Urged by United Nations Security Council Resolution 532 to speed up the process of releasing the territory into independence, a State Council was established in May 1983. In September this Council was obsoleted by the establishment of the Multi-Party Conference (MPC) which consisted of 19 parties but again excluded SWAPO. The MPC issued the Windhoek Declaration of Basic Principles in 1984 and the Bill of Fundamental Rights and Objectives, wherein the establishment of a Transitional Government of National Unity is requested from the South African administration, in 1985.

Establishment
On 17 June 1985, the Transitional Government of National Unity was established by the South African Administrator-General through the promulgation of "the South West Africa Legislative and Executive Authority Establishment Proclamation, 1985" (Proclamation R.101 of 1985). Its legislative and executive actions were subject to South African approval, with newly appointed administrator-general Louis Pienaar having the veto right on all legislation to be passed. The TGNU was perceived as a client government of South Africa that sought moderate reform but was unable to secure recognition by the United Nations.

Structure
The interim government consisted of a 62-seat National Assembly and an 8-seat Council of Ministers.

The assembly was dominated by the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), then an alliance of ethnically based political parties. However, the position of the DTA was not as strong as in the previous assembly after the 1978 elections where it occupied 41 out of the 50 seats. This time, the five smaller parties could easily outvote the DTA.

National Assembly
The 62 seats in the National Assembly were allocated such that the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) had 22, and five smaller parties got 8 seats each: South West African Labour Party (LP), the National Party of South West Africa (NP), the Rehoboth Free Democratic Party, the South West Africa National Union (SWANU), and the SWAPO Democrats (SWAPO-D). Johannes Skrywer of the DTA, who had been Speaker of the previous assembly established in 1978, was elected as the Speaker of the new assembly.

The composition of the National Assembly was as follows:

Council of Ministers
The 8 member Council of Ministers of the TGNU was chaired on a three-month round robin basis by its members.

End of the TGNU
The Transitional Government of National Unity was suspended on 28 February 1989 following the signing of a peace agreement the previous year. As stipulated by United Nations Security Council Resolution 435, a United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) was deployed on 1 April 1989. Elections to a Constituent Assembly were held in November 1989 and the territory became independent as the Republic of Namibia on 21 March 1990.

Literature



 * Address by David Bezuidenhout following the formation of the TGNU