▁was ▁established . ▁With ▁an ▁over wh el ming ▁pro g overn ment ▁majority , ▁it ▁was ▁largely ▁the ▁instrument ▁of ▁the ▁B NP , ▁led ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Jonathan . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁Jonathan ▁regime ' s ▁al ien ation ▁of ▁Bas oth o ▁power bro k ers ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁population , ▁South ▁Africa ▁had ▁virt ually ▁closed ▁the ▁country ' s ▁land ▁borders ▁because ▁of ▁Les oth o ▁support ▁of ▁cross - border ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress ▁( AN C ). ▁Moreover , ▁South ▁Africa ▁public ly ▁threatened ▁to ▁purs ue ▁more ▁direct ▁action ▁against ▁Les oth o ▁if ▁the ▁Jonathan ▁government ▁did ▁not ▁root ▁out ▁the ▁AN C ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁This ▁internal ▁and ▁external ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁government ▁combined ▁to ▁produce ▁violence ▁and ▁internal ▁dis order ▁in ▁Les oth o ▁that ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁military ▁take over ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁Under ▁a ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁Military ▁Council ▁dec ree , ▁state ▁executive ▁and ▁legisl ative ▁powers ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁King ▁who ▁was ▁to ▁act ▁on ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁Council , ▁a ▁self - app oint ed ▁group ▁of ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Les oth o ▁Def ense ▁Force ▁( RL DF ). ▁A ▁military ▁government ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Justin ▁Le kh anya ▁ruled ▁Les oth o ▁in ▁coord ination ▁with ▁King ▁Mos ho es ho e ▁II ▁and ▁a ▁civil ian ▁cabinet ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁King . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁