Policing in Lesotho
| Author | Peter E. Garner |
| Published date | 01 January 1971 |
| Date | 01 January 1971 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X7104400106 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DET.
SENIOR
SUPT.
PETER
E.
GARNER
Lesotho Mounted Police
POLI(;ING
IN
LESOTHO
STOCK
THEFT
In October, 1966, Basutoland gained its independence from Great
Britain to become the Kingdom of Lesotho. The
country-some-
times described as the "Switzerland of Southern
Africa"-is
a
small enclave (about the size of Belgium) surrounded by the Republic
of South Africa.
It
is a rugged country with the lowlands set at
5,000
ft,
above sea level and the "mountains" of the interior rising
to an
11
,425
ft.
peak-the
highest point in Southern Africa.
At independence many problems confronted the Government of
a land lacking natural resources
and
with little industrial develop-
ment; Lesotho was mainly sustained at
that
time by its male labour
force which worked for contract periods on the mines and farms of
South Africa. Encircled by South Africa there was a need for
Lesotho to maintain a
"good
neighbourly" policy between the two
countries and for years this relationship had been marred by the
criminal cattle rustler or stock thief. South African land which
borders on Lesotho has many well established cattle farms but the
farmers' profits have dwindled as their stock has been stolen by
marauding bands of stock thieves; the theft of prime animals
forced some farmers into bankruptcy.
The Government, recognizing
that
stock thefts strained relations,
determined to reduce the thefts to the minimum
and
in December,
1967, the Lesotho Mounted Police (one of the remaining
"mounted"
police forces in the world) formed a Stock Theft Unit.
Over 100 of the regular police added to their uniforms shoulder
flashes with the title "Stock Theft
Unit"
and the unit was divided
into three sections. One section was based in the capital, Maseru,
and the two other sections were based in the country's northern
and
southern regions. The unit was equipped with horses, saddlery,
four-wheel-drive motor vehicles
and
modern portable radio com-
munication equipment. The services of a commercial air chartering
firm were enrolled for the occasional use of spotter aircraft. The
horses taken into use were of the famous Basuto pony breed;
fearless, sure-footed in the roughest country and capable of carrying
a weight of 13/14 stones for some 60/80 miles each day. In addition
the closest liaison was established between the unit
and
its counter-
part
in the South African Police.
The task set the Stock Theft Unit was formidable. Patrols had to
cover many miles of border and the mountainous interior which in
January 1971 41
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