which european nation controlled the union of south africa
The Union of South Africa was a self-governing autonomous dominion of the British Empire. Its independence from the UK was confirmed in the Balfour Declaration 1926 and the Statute of Westminster 1931. It was governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, with the Crown represented by a governor-general. The Union came to an end with the enactment of a new constitution on 31 May 1961, by which it became a republic and temporarily left the Commonwealth, under the new name Republic of South Africa.