Bophuthatswana was a former Bantustan (homeland) in the north of South Africa. It had a surface area of approximately 40,000 km² and consisted of seven enclaves dispersed over the former South African provinces of Cape Province, Transvaal and Orange Free State. The capital Mmabatho was situated in an area bordering Botswana. The homeland was set up to house Tswana speaking peoples. In 1983 it had more than 1,430,000 inhabitants.

In 1971 Bophuthatswana was given self-rule and it became independent on December 5, 1977. The people forced to live there lost their South African nationality. Kgosi Lucas Mangope was appointed head of state. After a failed coup in 1988, Mangope was forcibly reinstated by South Africa. In the beginning of 1994 he was replaced by an interim government. On April 27 of the same year Bophuthatswana was reincorporated in South Africa, together with the nine other homelands.

Other homelands

• Ciskei (independent)
• Gazankulu (self-rule)
• Kangwane (self-rule)
• KwaNdebele (self-rule)
• KwaZulu (self-rule)
• Lebowa (self-rule)
• QwaQwa (self-rule)
• Transkei (independent)
• Venda (independent)