An opposition MP wants to declare Free State and parts of four other provinces “Lesotho’s territory”. The people of Lesotho, called Basotho, lived in these areas until the 19th Century, when they were seized by Afrikaners – white South Africans. Tsepo Lipholo of the Basotho Convenient Movement (BCM) is a lawmaker in Lesotho’s 120-seat National Assembly. If his motion passes in the assembly, it would kick off a process that could see the territorial claim turned into law. The motion is based on a 1962 United Nations resolution that recognised the right to self-determination and independence for the people of Basutoland – as Lesotho was then called. This is not the first time that Lesotho’s present-day borders have been a topic of discussion. In 2018 a civil group known as the Free Basotho Movement wrote to the Lesotho’s UK embassy to request that the late Queen Elizabeth remove the current frontier – essentially making Lesotho a 10th province of South Africa.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
More Stories
With ‘Banel & Adama,’ Ramata-Toulaye Sy Takes Her Place Among Cannes’ Top Names
The Lion Sleeps Tonight: One Song’s Journey from 1930s South Africa to Disney Money-Spinner
Radical Rethinking at Biennale: Africa and the Future Share Pride of Place
Designer Profile: Justin Van Breda
Chef Eric Adjepong Brings African Cuisine Into the Spotlight
Africa’s Most Mesmerizing Lodge Interiors
These Two African Islands are the Underrated Places to Travel this Summer
Five Must-visit Galleries in South Africa that Showcase the Country’s Cultural Tapestry
The Spice Island Unguja – Known to Most as Zanzibar – is a Scent Sensation
These are the Best Airlines on the Continent
The Challenges Facing the New Leader of Africa’s Largest Economy are Simply Enormous
Understanding the Opinions of Africa’s Rising Generation