South African forces in Angola

• January 1988 - South Africa’s military forces in southern Angola (which the gov. had kept there since invading in 1975) were outmanoeuvred by Cuban troops
• Rather than risk complete encirclement, loss of their heavy equipment and likely defeat, the South African forces retreated south
• The Cuban troops had MIG fighters, which were much superior to the French Mirages used by the South Africans - gave them air superiority over an area reaching well into South West Africa/Namibia
• Botha recognised that South Africa could no longer extend its military beyond the country’s borders, without risk of defeat and that the occupation of Namibia would inevitably become vastly more costly in both money and lives - in August he reached an accord to withdraw all South African forces from southern Angola and to begin negotiations for the independence of Namibia