Political voices in Lesotho are growing louder in their calls for closer integration with South Africa – with some even arguing that the mountain kingdom should become South Africa’s tenth province.
The idea, once considered fringe, is now being openly promoted by Lesotho’s Socialist Revolutionaries (SR) party.
SR leader Teboho Mojapela believes the only viable way to fix Lesotho’s economic and migration problems – and its dependence on South Africa – is to join the Republic outright.
“Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa and has no access to the sea,” Mojapela said.
“Between fighting for lost territories and joining South Africa as the tenth province, the most practical and beneficial option is becoming part of South Africa.”
Mojapela, who holds a Lesotho Exemption Permit and lives in Ladybrand in the Free State, crosses the border regularly to attend parliament in Maseru.
Scrap passports, ease travel
While the SR proposes full political integration, another opposition party is pushing instead for easier movement across the border, writes GroundUp.
The Basotho Action Party (BAP), led by Professor Nqosa Mahao, has launched a petition calling for passports between the two countries to be scrapped.
Instead, citizens should be allowed to travel using just their national ID cards.
“So far only piecemeal arrangements, such as six-month visitor visas and special permits, have been put in place,” Mahao said.
“Those things do not address the plight of thousands of Basotho who live and work in South Africa.”
BAP wants Basotho and South African citizens to be able work, study, access healthcare and vote in local elections on either side of the border, wherever they reside.
Mahao, a former vice-chancellor of the National University of Lesotho, says this would also honour the historical solidarity between the two nations, especially during South Africa’s apartheid struggle.
He recalls how Lesotho hosted South African exiles without restriction, even while facing deadly raids such as the 1982 Maseru Massacre.
“They lived among us as family,” he said.
Lesotho government’s response
Lesotho’s Minister of Home Affairs, Lebona Lephema, joined the discussion and said that both governments are already working on a new migration model, and welcomed Pretoria’s extension of exemption permits for Basotho living in South Africa.
“The new model will cover all migrant workers, domestic, farm and factory workers, to ensure they receive employment letters and full benefits such as minimum wage entitlement and severance pay,” Lephema added.
