Direct South African rule over Namibia was further entrenched in March with the appointment of five advisory committees to the Administrator General (AG). At a press conference on 9 March, the AG claimed that the committees would not replace a 'democratically elected central government'. He did not, however, outline any measures to speed up the process towards holding United Nations-controlled elections in Namibia; instead, he suggested that 'other arrangements' would have to be made if UN Resolution 435 could not be implemented soon. These included possible internal elections.
The five advisory committees are to assist with the formulation of overall policy and planning, concentrating on community services, financial and economic affairs, local government, infrastructure and agriculture. Each committee consists of between 15 and 17 members, drawn from the business community and the public sector. A number of people approached by the AG's office are reported to have refused to serve on the committees.
The formation and composition of the advisory committees, which replace the Development Advisory Board of the former Council of Ministers, reflect South Africa's determination to retain full administrative control over Namibia. Of the 66 members named, 38 are government officials and a number of these are South African civil servants seconded to Namibia. Of the 28 members from the private sector, many appear to be from businesses heavily dependent on government contracts and subsidies such as drought relief. Only four committee members are black, a fact which moved one black Namibian businessman to comment that 'it leaves no doubt that we are back to white "baaskap" and domination'.
