Final answer:
The steps toward the development of the Republic of South Africa were colonization, independence, and apartheid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct order of the steps toward the development of the Republic of South Africa is: d) Colonization, Independence, Apartheid.
South Africa was first colonized by British and Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century. After a period of colonization, South Africa gained independence from British rule in 1910 and formed the Union of South Africa. However, it was not until 1948 that apartheid, a system of racial segregation, was formally established by the South African government.
Therefore, the correct sequence is colonization, independence, and then apartheid.