Part 4/9:
Internationally, the fledgling nation faces skepticism. Most states do not recognize Bophuthatswana, considering it a product of South Africa's apartheid policies, specifically its doctrine of "separate development." Recognizing Bophuthatswana would mean legitimizing a system that enshrines racial division. The country's legal status is further complicated by the fact that many residents lost their South African citizenship upon accepting Bophuthatswana's nationality, an act that has drawn criticism as part of South Africa's racially charged political agenda.