Lesotho–South Africa relations Lesotho–South Africa relations Lesotho–South Africa relations refers to the current and historical bilateral relations of South Africa and Lesotho. Lesotho, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, depends on South Africa for most of its economic affairs, and its foreign policy is often aligned with that of Pretoria. Both are member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community. The area known as Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho (then Basutoland, a British protectorate) was annexed to the Cape Colony in 1871, but became separate again (as a crown
Lesotho Mounted Police Service Lesotho Mounted Police Service The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is the national police force of the Kingdom of Lesotho. The police service was established in 1872, with an initial strength of 110 men. It adopted military discipline and, from 1878, military rank structures. In the 1950s the force moved towards a civilian police operation, and in 1958 replaced its military rank structure with conventional civilian police ranks. Originally known as the Basutoland Mounted Police, the force later changed its name to Lesotho Police, then Lesotho Mounted Police (1966), and Royal Lesotho Mounted Force (1986). Today, in common with many