"Twists and Turns": Chief Leabua Jonathan and Cross-Border Collaborations with South Africa, 1965-1976/7

Chief Leabua Jonathan's term as prime minister of Lesotho (then Basutoland) began in 1965, the year before the nation's independence from Britain. During his tenure, he remained one of the few regional leaders whose leadership until the end of his term in 1976/7 was marked by a pattern of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African historical review Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 55 - 80
Main Author: Twala, Chitja
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Pretoria Routledge 02.07.2024
UNISA Press
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Apartheid
Apartheid regime
Basutoland National Party (BNP)
Borders
Collaboration
cross-border collaborations
Disputes
Foreign policy
Inconsistency
JONATHAN
Leadership
Political leadership
Regions
Small states
small states theory
sovereign state
Sovereignty
ISSN:1753-2523, 1753-2531
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Chief Leabua Jonathan's term as prime minister of Lesotho (then Basutoland) began in 1965, the year before the nation's independence from Britain. During his tenure, he remained one of the few regional leaders whose leadership until the end of his term in 1976/7 was marked by a pattern of inconsistency and contradiction towards apartheid South Africa. This article attempts to illuminate the nexus between his relationship with South Africa and the consequences thereof. Furthermore, it discusses how the mid-1960s and late 1970s became a crucial period for his leadership. His prime ministership and the "twists and turns" in his foreign policy vis-à-vis South Africa are discussed. Here the diplomatic role he played within the ambit of "small states theory" and his country's foreign policy is investigated. The article shows how under Jonathan, state politics and regional cross-border struggles and collaborations led to disputes regarding the sovereignty of Lesotho.
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ISSN:1753-2523
1753-2531
DOI:10.1080/17532523.2024.2401673