“DOWN with borders down! Down with passports down!”
These words were uttered by members of the Free Basotho Movement living in South Africa, while handing over a memorandum of demands to the Lesotho High Commission.
On Friday, 6 May, they marched to demand the eradication of borders between Lesotho and Mzansi. They said they wanted Lesotho to be SA’s 10nth province so there could be free movement between the two countries.
Speaking to Daily Sun, Mphu Liphapang said they had, on numerous occasions, requested for referendum elections but there had been no response.
“Enough is enough with criminal activities in SA by Lesotho nationals who are abandoned,” he said.
He added that Lesotho must be documented formally as a province within Mzansi.
“We demand the referendum before general elections. We also want the Lesotho government to make an initiative to speak to its nationals involved in criminal activities like cable theft, illegal mining and brutal killings within the confines of SA, and publicly condemn those acts.”
Another member Mamarashia Mpesi said they were making a humble request to Mzansi to document all Basotho nationals by giving them identity documents.
They said if Lesotho government did not reply within seven days, the movement would close all consulates within South Africa.
“Then we will file an urgent application to international countries that recognise and respect democracy to close all Lesotho consulates with immediate effect.”
Receiving the memorandum was Lesotho high commissioner Ernest Bereng, who said the concerns would be taken to relevant authorities.
