Ian Smith
South Africa was losing lots of money due to a boycott of its own, together with its own militant insurgency, and OPEC sanctions, and so Rhodesia became a strain on South Africa's economy. In December 1974, South Africa under John Vorster started to threaten Rhodesia with cuts to imports and the end of special privileges if they did not make a deal with the other African nationalist leaders of the Frontline States (Zambia, Tanzania, and Botswana, later followed by Angola and Mozambique when they became independent the next year), they came up with a deal involving them with Smith and Muzorewa were a ceasefire happened. The ceasefire would not last long and would only allow imprisoned nationalists who were freed to escape and the militants to recoup losses and mobilise. In January 1975, Smith and the Rhodesian government noticed this and stopped the ceasefire, leading to South Africa withdrawing its police and making the situation even worse.