LEBOWA

former nonindependent black state that was in northern Transvaal, South Africa. The state was made up of two major and several minor exclaves (detached portions). It was designated by the South African government as the national territory for the northern Sotho people (Pedi, Lovedu, Kanga-Kone, and others). A territorial assembly, established in 1962, was replaced by a legislative assembly in 1971. The following year Lebowa was granted self-government. Political parties became defined soon after the first election, held in 1973. The Lebowa People's Party, under Chief Minister C.N. Phatudi, controlled the legislative assembly, while the Lebowa National Party, led by M.M. Matlala, constituted the opposition. By 1978, Lebowa was the actual residence of more than half of South Africa's northern Sotho people, all of whom were legally Lebowa citizens. The new constitution of South Africa abolished apartheid, and in 1994 Lebowa became part of the new South African province of Northern.