Border between Lesotho and South Africa

Lesotho (green) and South Africa (orange)

Topography of Lesotho with the border with South Africa

South African side of the Peka Bridge border crossing

The border between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa is 1106 kilometers long. Since Lesotho is an enclave in South Africa, Lesotho only has this border.

geography

The lowest point of the border is on Makhaleng south of Mohale's Hoek at about 1390 meters above sea level - also the lowest point in Lesotho - and the highest point at almost 3400 meters in the Drakensberg .

The north-western border - seen from Lesotho - is formed by the Caledon / Mohokare , a tributary of the Oranje / Senqu . Part of the southwest border runs along the Makhaleng, the Oranje and the Tele. To the east the border is close to the highest mountains in southern Africa. The only border crossing there is the Sani Pass . The border lies in the south and east on the main watershed between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans , in the north on the watershed of Oranje and Vaal .

All ten districts of Lesotho border on South Africa. The South African provinces Free State (Free State), KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape (Eastern Cape) bordering Lesotho.

Border crossings

There are 13 road crossings between the two states. The Maseru Bridge rail border crossing point is just a few meters north of the road crossing. The transition Bushman's Nek / Ngoangoana ( 29 ° 53 '5.6 " S , 29 ° 9' 11.5" O ) is in cross-border uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park ( KwaZulu-Natal / Qacha's Nek ) and may only be crossed on foot. -29.8849 29.1532

List of road crossings

designation	Road in South Africa	Street in Lesotho	opening hours	Coordinates
Maseru Bridge	N8	A2	Midnight	29 ° 17 ′ 52.8 ″ S , 27 ° 27 ′ 16.6 ″ E-29.298 27.4546
Peka Bridge			8 am to 4 pm	29 ° 56 ′ 42 " S , 27 ° 44 ′ 3.8" E-29.945 27.7344
Ficksburg Bridge / Maputsoe			Midnight	28 ° 53 '2 " S , 27 ° 53' 25.1" E-28.8839 27.8903
Caledonspoort			6 a.m. to 10 p.m.	28 ° 41 ′ 41.3 " S , 28 ° 14 ′ 2" E-28.6948 28.2339
Montansa Pass			8 am to 4 pm	28 ° 35 '24.7 " S , 28 ° 40' 57.4" E-28.5902 28.6826
Sani Pass		A14	8 am to 4 pm	29 ° 35 ′ 4.9 ″ S , 29 ° 17 ′ 10.7 ″ E-29.5847 29.2863
Ramatšeliso's Gate			8 am to 4 pm	30 ° 3 ′ 0.7 ″ S , 28 ° 56 ′ 2 ″ E-30.0502 28.9339
Qacha's Nek		A4	6 a.m. to 10 p.m.	30 ° 7 ′ 46.9 ″ S , 28 ° 41 ′ 8.2 ″ E-30.1297 28.6856
Ongeluksnek			8 am to 4 pm	30 ° 20 '17.9 " S , 28 ° 15' 6.8" E-30.3383 28.2519
Tele Bridge	R393	A24	6 a.m. to 10 p.m.	30 ° 25 '54.8 " S , 27 ° 34' 2.3" O-30.4319 27.5673
Makhaleng Bridge		A23	8 am to 4 pm	30 ° 9 ′ 50.8 ″ S , 27 ° 23 ′ 58.6 ″ E-30.1641 27.3996
Sephapho's Gate			8 am to 4 pm	29 ° 56 '51.4 " S , 27 ° 11' 57.5" E-29.9476 27.1993
Van Rooyen's Gate	R702	A20	6 a.m. to 10 p.m.	29 ° 45 '21.6 " S , 27 ° 6" 32.8 " O-29,756 27,1091

history

The current border was established in the 19th century and was established in the Treaty of Aliwal North (Convention of Aliwal North) between the Boers and the British in 1869 as the new colonial power in Basutoland . As a result of the Senekal War and the Seqiti War between Buren and Basotho , the western border of what was then Basutoland had shifted significantly to the east, while the other borders were determined along the former settlement borders.

On December 9, 1982, special forces of the South African Defense Force flew over the unsecured border and murdered 42 people in Maseru, including numerous South African refugees (see South African attack on Lesotho 1982 ). Members of the Lesotho Liberation Army had previously crossed the border to carry out attacks.

In the weeks leading up to January 20, 1986, South Africa closed all border crossings to Lesotho, blocking the flow of goods to Lesotho. As a result, the Lesotho military launched a coup against Leabua Jonathan's government . The South African government then lifted the blockade.