As a result of the Conference on International Organization in 1945 , the League of Nations was formally superseded by the United Nations ( UN ) and former League mandates by a trusteeship system . Article 77 of the United Nations Charter stated that UN trusteeship " shall apply ... to territories now held under mandate " ; furthermore , it would " be a matter of subsequent agreement as to which territories in the foregoing territories will be brought under the trusteeship system and under what terms " . The UN requested all former League of Nations mandates be surrendered to its Trusteeship Council in anticipation of their independence . South Africa declined to do so and instead requested permission from the UN to formally annex South West Africa , for which it received considerable criticism . When the UN General Assembly rejected this proposal , South Africa dismissed its opinion and began solidifying control of the territory . The UN responded by deferring to the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) , which held a number of discussions on the legality of South African rule between 1949 and 1966
Conference on International Organization
United Nations Conference on International Organization
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