A member of Lesotho’s parliament is facing criminal charges after alleging that the nation’s king and government handed over control of the country to neighbouring South Africa.
Dr. Tshepo Lipholo is also accused of “undermining the dignity and standing” of the royal family by proclaiming himself the supreme leader of the landlocked nation.
Reports indicate he appeared in court on Monday to request bail, but the hearing was postponed to a later date this month.
The opposition lawmaker has earlier demanded that certain areas of South Africa be recognised as “Lesotho’s territory” and restored under Lesotho’s authority.
Among these areas is the Free State, one of three South African provinces bordering the small southern African country. Dr. Lipholo is also asserting claims over parts of the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.
The Basotho people of Lesotho inhabited these regions until the 19th century, when Afrikaners—white South Africans—took control of the land. Many Basotho still reside there today, particularly in the Free State.
In the charge sheet reviewed by the BBC, prosecutors accuse the MP of “uttering seditious statements” and “inciting public unrest” by claiming that King Letsie III and the government had “signed Lesotho over to become South Africa’s 10th province.”
According to the state, these comments were allegedly made between April and June 2025 on social media and during radio interviews.
He is also charged with proclaiming himself the paramount chief of Basutoland—the country’s colonial-era name—despite the presence of the king.
A retired military officer, Major General Samuel Makoro, was arrested last Friday for allegedly aiding Dr. Lipholo and supplying him with confidential information.
Dr. Lipholo leads the Basotho Covenant Movement (BCM), which holds a single parliamentary seat.
His motion, previously debated in Lesotho’s parliament, cites a 1962 United Nations resolution affirming the right of the Basotho people to self-determination and independence.
However, South African officials maintain that the proposal to reclaim territory some Basotho consider their ancestral land is unlikely to succeed, as it lacks broad political backing within Lesotho.
A major obstacle is the 1964 Cairo Declaration of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union), under which African states agreed to respect colonial borders to prevent conflict, even if the boundaries ignored ethnic territories.
Earlier this year, South Africa’s foreign affairs ministry reiterated this position in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
Dr. Lipholo has also said in Lesotho’s media that he wants the matter raised in the UK Parliament, arguing Britain bore responsibility for granting Lesotho independence in 1966 without addressing the land seized by Afrikaners.
According to a source, his legal team has until 25 July 2025 to submit arguments for bail. He remains in custody.