The SWA Administrator General Justice Steyn announced on 9 May that a proclamation to establish a National Assembly in Namibia would be issued probably within the next 14 days. South Africa's decision to press ahead with this plan to entrench the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) and hence its own rule in the territory, signifies the final and effective breakdown of international negotiations over Namibia's future.
The National Assembly will consist of the 50 members of the Constituent Assembly set up following the December 1978 elections (41 of whom are members of the DTA and largely drawn from the tribal delegation which attended the original Turnhalle Constitutional talks), plus up to 15 additional members nominated by the National Assembly, "thereby making it possible for other bona fide democratic parties to secure representation in the assembly". It will have legislative powers to amend repeal existing legislation, ordinances or proclamations passed by the South African authorities, and to make new laws on any internal matter with the exception of law and order, defence, foreign affairs and security. Neither will it be empowered to pass legislation governing its own status, competency and composition. The SWA Administrative General will retain full executive powers. South Africa will in other words retain complete control of the territory while being enabled to use the ostensibly independent and multiracial National Assembly as an administrative front.
