Are Lesotho irridentists preparing to seize the Free State?

On 2 July, Lesotho’s security forces arrested Tšepo Lipholo, a member of parliament and leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, charging him with sedition, incitement, and contempt.

The accusations stem from his vocal campaign to reclaim vast territories in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape, based on dubious historical claims, alongside alleged disrespectful remarks about the royal family.

In Mr Lipholo’s vision, Lesotho would grow from 30,000km² to around 240,000km². The claims are based on a 1962 United Nations resolution which affirmed Lesotho’s right to self-determination, without specific reference to borders, and Lipholo asserts that that agreement gives them rights as a people to this greater territory. However, the 1964 Cairo Declaration by the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) cemented colonial-era borders across Africa to avert conflicts, posing a major barrier to any changes.

Mr. Lipholo’s push to reclaim lands he believes were unjustly taken by Afrikaners hinges on these historical grievances. He has urged the British Parliament to intervene, arguing that the UK, which granted Lesotho’s independence in 1966, left these border issues unresolved. Yet, South African officials doubt the motion’s success, citing its lack of widespread support within Lesotho.

This isn’t the first challenge to Lesotho’s borders. In 2018, the Free Basotho Movement petitioned Lesotho’s UK embassy to erase the current frontiers, proposing Lesotho become South Africa’s tenth province. They sought free movement for baSotho and economic advantages enjoyed by South Africans. As a landlocked nation heavily reliant on South Africa, such a shift could secure Lesotho sea access and unite the baSotho regionally, swelling its population from 2 million to 7 million.

Arrested at his Qoaling residence by the Lesotho Mounted Police Service, Special Operations Unit, and Lesotho Defence Force, Lipholo remains in custody, with the state opposing bail as his application pends in the High Court. The arrest coincides with broader allegations from Lesotho’s security chiefs.

In a joint press briefing on 21 July at Maseru’s police headquarters, Commissioner of Police Borotho Matsoso, speaking for the Lesotho Defence Force and other security organs, accused a group named Malata Naha (“land reclaimers”) of recruiting Basotho youths for military training on South African farms, purportedly with foreign support. Matsoso branded the operation a rebellion, citing terrorism and human trafficking, and warned of threats to national stability and diplomatic ties with South Africa.

No particular evidence was disclosed, with details withheld pending investigation. Lesotho claims cooperation with South African authorities, though no arrests have occurred across the border.

The security agencies further alleged that unspecified MPs and religious leaders are under scrutiny for backing the campaign, which they say extends to public ridicule of the royal family. The claims link Malata Naha to Lipholo’s territorial ambitions, though specifics remain unclarified.

Prime Minister Samuel Matekane, addressing Lipholo’s arrest, conceded the historical basis of the land claims but condemned actions that “disrupt peace, security, and national stability” or incite violence. He promised future government engagement on the issue, urging rejection of “reckless” tactics. Opposition voices, led by Basotho National Party MP Machesetsa Mofomobe, challenge the narrative.

Mofomobe, a Lipholo supporter, dismissed the allegations as political maneuvering, arguing that South Africa’s silence undermines the plausibility of training camps on its soil. Critics suggest the government may be leveraging the accusations to suppress dissent, while Lipholo’s allies demand constitutional reform to address territorial grievances.

Lesotho remains a fractious, corrupt and violent country, with the highest rate of political party formation per capita, and the only country above 1 million residents with a higher combined murder-suicide rate than South Africa.

Much of their news coverage and public statements are in Sotho, and their economy is negligible, reducing public attention. But should the persecution of Lipholo prove a rallying cry, tensions may well develop, as neither state has significant modern security enforcement capacity.