In which year did the United Nations General Assembly terminate South Africa's mandate over Namibia, bringing the territory formally under UN responsibility?

Introduction / Context:
Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, was administered by South Africa under a League of Nations mandate. After the formation of the United Nations, the legitimacy of this mandate became a major issue. The UN General Assembly eventually terminated South Africa's mandate and brought Namibia under UN responsibility, a significant step in the history of decolonisation and international law.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question concerns the year when the UN General Assembly terminated South Africa's mandate over Namibia.
• Options given are 1968, 1966, 1969 and 1965.
• We assume reference to the General Assembly resolution that legally ended the mandate.
• The target is the correct year, not the date of independence.

Concept / Approach:
The UN General Assembly passed Resolution 2145 (XXI) in 1966, revoking South Africa's mandate over South West Africa and declaring that the territory would come under direct UN responsibility. Namibia later achieved independence in 1990, but the key legal step of mandate termination occurred in 1966. Thus, remembering the link between Namibia and the 1966 resolution is crucial.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the UN fought a long diplomatic battle against South Africa's continued control over Namibia.Step 2: Note that the formal termination of the mandate happened via a UN General Assembly resolution in the mid 1960s.Step 3: From standard polity notes, remember that Resolution 2145, adopted in 1966, officially withdrew the mandate and placed the territory under UN responsibility.Step 4: Among the options 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969, only 1966 matches this widely cited resolution.Step 5: Therefore, select 1966 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to check is to remember that the struggle over Namibia intensified in the 1960s, not as late as the end of that decade. International law textbooks and UN histories routinely mention that the South African mandate was terminated in 1966, which is why many exam questions use that specific year.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1965: Too early and does not correspond to the actual General Assembly resolution.

1968 and 1969: These years come after the decisive 1966 resolution and may be associated with other events in the decolonisation process but not with the termination of the mandate.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates may confuse the year of mandate termination with the year of independence (1990) or with other UN actions against apartheid. Others may incorrectly pick 1968 or 1969 under the assumption that the process would have taken longer. Learning the pair “Namibia – mandate terminated in 1966 – independence in 1990” helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
The UN General Assembly terminated South Africa's mandate over Namibia in 1966.