How the MPLA Victory Affected South Africa

Failure by South Africa to prevent socialist MPLA from coming to power in Angola wreaked havoc on South Africa's prestige and esteem among Western countries. But how exactly was South Africa affected?
 
South Africa intervened in Angola at the very crucial moment when its detente with some moderate Black African states was at its initial stage. The little rapprochement there was between South Africa and Black Africa abruptly foundered.
 

Even the pro-Western President Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast called off relations with South Africa. The Organisation of African Unity called South Africa all sorts of bad names.
 
Western countries that hitherto had regarded South Africa as the custodian of white supremacy in Africa had their confidence washed away. Western investors began to be apprehensive that South Africawas not powerful enough to subdue even poorly trained guerrillas. Consequently, Western investment in South Africa suffered a substantial decline.

 
Western countries especially France and the United States were very disappointed with South Africa's impotence to defeat the Cuban troops in Angola. Hence, the West became increasingly reluctant to sell military equipment to the defeated South Africa. According to the West, South Africa did not summon up its military capability to the maximum to prevent Angola one of Africa's potentially richest countries - from falling under communist influence.

National Movements and New States in Africa