Lesotho–South Africa border Lesotho–South Africa border The border between Lesotho and South Africa is long and forms a complete loop, as Lesotho is an enclave entirely surrounded by South Africa. The border follows the Caledon River, the drainage divide of the Drakensberg mountains, the Tele River, the Orange River, the Makhaleng River, and a series of hills joining the Makhaleng back to the Caledon. The Basotho people formed a distinct polity in the 1820s under Moshoeshoe I, the first Paramount Chief. At that time Basotho territory included much of what is now the Free State province of South Africa. This territory was lost
Geology of Lesotho only large fault in the country, running northeast-southwest with a vertical displacement of 300 meters near Mafeteng, although there are other smaller faults. More than 50% of Lesotho's territory is underlain by fractured igneous rock aquifers, such as the low permeability basalt of the Lesotho Formation. Dolerite-dike related aquifers have high water productivity in fractures that formed in the surrounding rock due to the high temperature of the intrusion. The sandstones of the Clarens Formation, Elliot Formation and Burgersdorp Formation are small or low quality aquifers, but the Molteno Formation is regarded as the best aquifer in Lesotho with high