Cape Town — Lesotho MPs are expected to debate whether parts of South Africa’s territory should be reclaimed, according to a BBC report. The parliament’s order paper lists the areas under consideration: the entire Free State province, as well as portions of the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu‑Natal. The document notes that any reclamation would be pursued in line with United Nations Resolution 1817 (XVII), adopted by the General Assembly in December 1962.
Historically, Basotho people lived across the Orange Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and parts of KwaZulu‑Natal. The Mfecane and other Nguni wars forced them to migrate northward to the area that is now Lesotho.
A journal article by Chitja Twala and John Aerni‑Flessner examined Lesotho’s claim to “Conquered Territory,” arguing that border disputes were central to notions of state power in southern Africa during the apartheid era. They wrote that, in an effort to pressure its neighbours, South Africa proposed honoring 19th‑century land claims made by Lesotho and eSwatini (formerly Swaziland). Such proposals forced leaders to balance national interests against global geopolitics, often leaving borderland residents to bear the costs of sovereignty disputes—a vulnerability that persists today.
According to Scrolla, some activists have called for annexation, citing the close proximity of South Africa and Lesotho.
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