Reckoning with History: Why Lesotho and South Africa Must Forge a New Compact Beyond Colonial Borders

The recent petition by Lesotho’s Basotho Covenant Movement (BCM) to the United Nations, demanding the return of territories lost to South Africa in the 19th century, has reignited a fraught historical debate. But beneath the headlines of land claims lies a far more urgent truth: the relationship between Lesotho and South Africa is broken, and it’s time for both nations to confront the colonial ghosts haunting their shared future.

A Legacy of Betrayal, A Present of Disgrace

Lesotho’s territorial grievances are rooted in the 1869 Aliwal North Convention and the 1884 Treaty of London, where British colonialists carved up the kingdom of Moshoeshoe I, gifting fertile lands to white settlers and the Orange Free State. Today, these territories form parts of South Africa’s Free State, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. While international law is unlikely to redraw these borders—the UN prioritizes stability over historical redress—the petition underscores a deeper wound: the systemic dehumanization of Basotho people in South Africa.

South Africa’s treatment of Basotho migrants—harassed at border posts, scapegoated in xenophobic rhetoric, and trapped in bureaucratic limbo by Home Affairs—is a national disgrace. Over 400,000 Basotho work in South Africa, many undocumented, propping up sectors like mining, agriculture, and domestic labor. Yet, they are met with suspicion, violence, and laws that criminalize their survival. How can a nation born from apartheid’s ashes replicate the same cruelty toward its closest kin?

The Hypocrisy of Liberation

The ANC-led government, which once rallied global solidarity against oppression, now presides over a regime where Basotho are hunted down for lacking papers in lands their ancestors called home. This hypocrisy is not lost on Lesotho, where frustration over South Africa’s “big brother” hegemony simmers. The BCM’s territorial petition, however symbolic, is a cry for dignity—a demand to be seen as equals, not supplicants.

But territorial revisionism is a dead end. The 1966 independence borders, frozen under uti possidetis juris, are internationally recognized. Even if the UN entertained Lesotho’s claim, South Africa would never cede sovereign land. The real battle isn’t over maps; it’s over humanity.

The Case for a New Compact

Lesotho and South Africa are bound by geography, blood, and economy. Lesotho’s sovereignty is encircled by South Africa; its people depend on jobs south of the Caledon River. South Africa, in turn, relies on Lesotho’s water through the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, a lifeline for Gauteng’s industries. This interdependence demands a relationship reset—one that acknowledges history but prioritizes justice in the present.

1. Bilateral Truth and Reconciliation: Establish a joint commission to audit colonial-era land dispossession and its modern impacts. South Africa must formally acknowledge the historical theft of Basotho territories, not as a prelude to land restitution, but as a gesture of restorative justice.

2. Migrant Rights, Not Raids: South Africa’s draconian immigration policies contradict the spirit of the SADC Free Movement Protocol. A special residency permit for Basotho, would regularize their status and end the humiliation of daily border dramas.

3. Economic Justice: Lesotho’s economy is a satellite of South Africa’s. Pretoria must invest in job creation in Lesotho—particularly in agriculture and manufacturing—to reduce dependency on migrant labor.

The Shadow of External Actors

Allegations that the BCM’s petition is “Israel-sponsored” risk derailing the core issues. Whether true or fabricated, such claims must be investigated transparently. But let’s be clear: Basotho grievances predate any foreign intrigue. To fixate on geopolitics is to ignore South Africa’s own complicity in perpetuating inequality.

Beyond Borders, Toward Brotherhood

South Africa and Lesotho must stop reenacting colonial master and subject. Let them instead model a new African solidarity—one where shared history, however painful, fuels a future of mutual respect. The UN petition may eventually gather dust, but the plight of Basotho migrants cannot. The “special relationship” must be rebuilt not on stolen land, but on restored dignity.