The Leopard's Head and "V" for Victory set also included a 10 franc value not shown here.
Following Congolese independence in 1960, the region surrounding the town of Bakwanga
declared itself autonomous on August 8. It issued its first stamps on June 20, 1961. Stamps
of the Belgian Congo were overprinted "ETAT AUTONOME DU SUD KASAI" and some
were surcharged however these were only sold in the philatelic bureau in Brussels. Other
stamps issued depicted a leopard's head and the letter "V" and A.D. Kalonji, one of the mod-
erate leaders of the Mouvement National Congolais who led the secessionist administration
of South Kasai. In October of 1962 the central government regained control of the region.
Overprinted Congo definitives were authorized for use and placed on sale at
the philatelic bureau in Brussels but never delivered for use in South Kasai.
South Kasai was located in the region surrounding Bakwanga.