Migration and Development Dependence on South A Study of Lesotho Gabriele Winai Strom Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, Uppsala Migration and Development Migration an Developmen Dependence on South Africa: A Study of Lesotho Gabriele Winai Strom Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, Uppsala This book was first published in 1978 under the title Development and Dependence in Lesotho the Enclave of South Africa as a doctoral thesis at the Department of Political Science, University of Uppsala. The printing of this new updated edition has been made possible by financial support from the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA). @ Gabriele Winai StrGm 1978 and 1986 ISBN 91-7106-252-1 (1978 91-7106-123-1) Printed in Sweden by Motala Grafiska, Motala 1986 Contents Preface vii List of tables and diagrams ix Abbreviations X 1 INTRODUCTION Sources on Lesotho 2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHANGE The labour reserve society of today Agricultural population? &touched by modern economic development? Export-oriented production? Unequal income distribution? A grain exporting society - 1830 to 1930 The iron workers and peasants before 1830 The changing role of chiefs Conclusions 3 POLITICAL PARTIES Organizational patterns in Lesotho Stability in political cleavage over time Comparison between the constitutions of the BCP and the BNP Political ideas, origin and support of the Basutoland Congress Party Ideas of democratic socialism and popular participation Origin in Lekhotla-La-Bafo and African National Congress Support by workers, co-operative farmers and students Political ideas, origin, and support of the Basotho National Party Ideas of political harmony and economic growth Origin in chieftainship and anti-comunism Support by allied interest groups of priests, traders and village chiefs Conclusions 4 STATE INSTITUTIONS The law-making system and the laws Public administration Competition between three institutional set-ups Government in the countryside after 1968 New roles for the chiefs State employees Slow growth of employment "Indiscipline" and dismissals Recruitment for police repression Police co-operation with South Africa Conclusions 5 GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT POLICIES UNDER CONDITIONS OF UNEQUAL INTEGRATION Emphasis on foreign private investment and aid Lesotho, an open economy Multinationals as the motor of economic growth Increased state revenue and aid Two examples of implementation of government development policies Financial institutions Diamond mining and prospecting Conclusions 6 FINAL COMMENTS Appendices Notes References Preface and acknowledgements During the 1980s Lesotho has joined with other countries in a common effort for the liberation of South Africa. A century ago Moshoeshoe I created the tradition of independence from South Africa by developing international links with other countries. The present king, Moshoe- shoe 11, with the support of his former Prime Minister, Chief Leabua Jonathan, has continued this royal tradition. The increasing awareness of the political history of Lesotho can part- ly be explained by an interest in the types of influences that small dependent states possess. Lesotho is also of interest in examining the future conditions of a liberated South Africa. When this book was first published, although censored in Lesotho, it was quickly sold out. Interest in a new edition has increased as the government of Lesotho has sought to broaden its foreign relations while giving more open support to the anti-apartheid struggle. I was already preparing a new edition when, in January 1986, there was a coup d'etat by the constitutional monarch of Lesotho. By that time support for the Jonathan government had already declined. Political change became necessary with the additional pressure of South African sanctions against Lesotho. The coup met with almost no internal opposi- tion, as had been the case after the earlier coup of 1970. Whether this is a sign of a move to a more popular government remains to be seen. This book analyses the political conditions in a migrant labour state and its internal and international linkages. Through a deeper knowl- edge of these conditions we can more accurately foresee the future de- velopment of this part of southern Africa. I would like to thank all those who have assisted with the updating of this book. I particularly wish to thank Anna Norrman of the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at the University of Uppsala, who typed this offset edition, and Karl Eric Ericson of the Scandinavian Insti- tute of African Studies, Uppsala, who have the responsibility for its distribution. The Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) financed this book. Bromma October 1, 1986 Gabriele Winai Str8m Preface It is unusual that a dissertation gets such strong political reactions as this book received, when first published. It was not only censored in South Africa and Lesotho, but it resulted in extra-ordinary cabinet meetings and discussions in the parliament of Lesotho. Today it is, however, accepted in Lesotho as one of the best analyses of recent political events. Since the book is also still high in demand by both academic and politically interested readers elsewhere I am happy to see this second edition pub- lished. Leif Lewin Johan Skytte Professor of Eloquence and Government Chairman of the Department of Government, Uppsala University List of tables and diagrams 2.1, Number of Holdings and Population of Holdings 1950-1970 2.2. Lesotho: Estimated Employment of the Labour Force, 1967, 1970, 1973 and 1984. (Thousands of Workers) 2.3. Employment in the "modern1' sector in Lesotho 1980 2.A. Basotho Ehrployed in South African Mines, 1963-1974 2.4. Sources of Net Income in the Area of Thaba Bosiu Rural Development Project 2.5. Sources of Net Income in the Area of the Leribe Agricultura Scheme 2.6. Relation between National Product and National Income 1972/73 - 1979/'80 2.7. Income Distribution in Lesotho, 1972 2.8. Lesotho: Average Annual Cash Earnings in Selected Occupa- tional Groups, 1970/71 - 1974/75 (In Rand) 2.B. Some Important Historic Data Mentioned in this Chapter 2.9. Annual Cash Earnings in Gold Mines, 1911-69 2.10.Migrant Labow? from Basutoland - Lesotho, 1911 - 1976 2.C. Some Dates on the Integration into the International Capitalist System over Time 3.A. Origin of the Political Parties with Reference to Time and Political Bias 3.1. Conposition of Lesotho's National Assemblies 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1973 3.2. Aims of the Basutoland Congress Party (extract from the BCP Constitution) transZated from Sesotho 3.3. Aims of the Basotho National Party (extract from the British version of the BNP constitution) 3.B. Background of the BNP Leader Leabua Jonathan 3.C. Political Parties in Relation to Some Social Strata 4.1. Nwnber of State Elnployees in 1962, 1971 and 1984 4.2. Number of Policemen Related to (de jure) Population in 1965, 1967 and 1970 5.1. Recruiting Organizations in Lesotho 5.2. Government Budgetary Position, 1957/58 to 1980/81 (in Millions of Rand and Maloti 5.3. Percentage Distribution of Foreign Official Assistance (disbursements) to Lesotho from Different Donors, 1975, 1979 and 1983 5.4. Miners Deferred Pay Fund (MDPF) with the Lesotho Bank 1975-84 (Rand and Maloti millions) 5.5. Lesotho: Consolidate Commercial and Bank Statistics (in thousands of Rand) 5.6. Lesotho Co-operative Credit Union Loan Distribution by Purpose 5.A. Local and International Contractors in Diamond Mining and Prospecting 1964-75 in Lesotho. 6.1. Genera2 Tendencies often Associated with Dependence Compared with the Case of Lesotho, 1960 to 1975 Abbreviations AAPC All-African Peoples' Conference ANC African National Congress (of South Africa) BAC Basutoland African Congress (called BCP after 1960) BCP Basutoland Congress Party BFL Basutoland Federation of Labour BNP Basotho National Party CPDO Central Planning and Development Office, Masem CPL Communist Party of Lesotho EDESA Economic Development for Equatorial and Southern Africa (Investment Bank) FAO Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations FP Freedom Party H.M.S.O. Her Majesty's Stationary Office (London) IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (also called World Bank) IDEP Institute for Economic Development and Planning, Dakar IDR Institute for Development Research, Copenhagen IDS Institute for Development Studies, Sussex ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund LCW Lesotho General Council of Workers LNDC Lesotho National Development Corporation MFP Marema-Tlou Freedom Party (emerged from MTP and FP, 1%2) MTP Marema-Tlou Party ODA Overseas Development Agency OAU Organization for African Unity OM1 Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Catholic Order) PAC Pan-African Congress (of South Africa) SIDA Swedish International Development Agency UBLS University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (after Nov. 1975 split into NUL, National University of Lesotho, and UBS, University of Botswana and Swaziland) UDP United Democratic Party UNDP United Nations Development Programme 1 Introduction This case study deals with some political conditions of development in Lesotho. The focus is on political parties, state institutions and development policies during the period 1960 to 1975. Lesotho* is an enclave state surrounded by the Republic of South Africa and sovereign since 1966. In this introduction I first discuss my focus, method and theore- tical framework, and finally comment on source material on political conditions in South Africa. My main focus of attention is on the state level, where I have related the state on the one hand to the international level, parti- cularly Southern Africa, and on the other hand to the socio-economic and political conditions within the country. Chapter 2 concerns the socio-economic structure in Lesotho as a background to the rest of the study. It has a longer historical per- spective than the other chapters. The aim is to investigate in what way Lesotho became part of the international capitalist system, thus indicating where we should look for causes of present socio-economic relations.