The British office of high commissioner for Southern Africa was responsible for governing British possessions in Southern Africa, latterly the protectorates Basutoland (now Lesotho), the Bechuanaland Protectorate (now Botswana) and Swaziland, as well as for relations with autonomous governments in the area.
The office was combined with that of governor of Cape Colony from 1847 to 1901, with that of the governor of Transvaal Colony 1901 to 1910, and with that of Governor-General of South Africa from 1910 to 1931. The British government appointed the governor-general as high commissioner under a separate commission. In addition to responsibility for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, he held reserve powers concerning the interests of the native population of Southern Rhodesia. The post was abolished on 1 August 1964.
The high commission territories
The high commissioner was responsible for governing the following territories, in each case represented by a resident commissioner: