MP charged over 'seditious' SA comments

A Lesotho MP is facing criminal charges after he accused the country's monarch and government of signing over control of Lesotho to South Africa (SA), reports BBC News. Dr Tshepo Lipholo also faces charges of ‘violating the dignity and reputation’ of the royal family by declaring himself the chief ruler of the country which is completely landlocked by SA. He reportedly appeared in court on Monday to apply for bail but this was postponed to later this month. The opposition MP has previously called for parts of SA to be declared ‘Lesotho's territory’ and wants them returned to Lesotho's control. Among them is the Free State, one of the three SA provinces that share a border with Lesotho. Lipholo is also laying claim to parts of the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and KZN. In the charge sheet, the state accuses the lawmaker of ‘uttering seditious words’ and ‘inciting public violence’ by saying King Letsie III and the government had ‘signed (over) Lesotho to become the 10th SA province’. These remarks were allegedly made between April and June 2025 on various social media platforms and radio interviews, according to the state. He is also accused of declaring himself the paramount chief of Basutoland, the country's colonial name, despite the king's presence.

A retired army official, Major General Samuel Makoro, was also arrested on Friday for allegedly supporting Lipholo and providing him with sensitive information. Lipholo is the leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, which has a single seat in Parliament. His motion, which was previously debated in Lesotho's Parliament, is based on a 1962 UN resolution that recognised the right to self-determination and independence for the people of Basutoland. The view from SA officials is that the motion to reclaim territories some Basotho view as their own does not stand a chance of happening, because it does not enjoy the support of the majority in Lesotho. According to BBC News, one of the key stumbling blocks is the 1964 Cairo Declaration of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, whereby African leaders agreed to recognise the existing borders of their newly independent countries, even if they were drawn up by colonial powers with little regard to where different ethnic groups lived, to avoid stirring up conflict across the continent.