Lesotho is a tiny landlocked country with South Africa on all sides. It was formally known as Basutoland. Independance saw the retention of the ceremonial tribal King but multiparty democratic rule with two parties closely aligned with respective anti apartheid groups in South Africa. As such we get a window as to what a South Africa that could read the writing on the wall earlier might have been like. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
This is a nicely done farm out commonwealth stamp. The remember to include King Moeshoeshoe II in a Manchin like profile in the top right corner. The good King had a cool 70s “Shaft” vibe that reminded the part of the world you were in. The well drawn bird on the stamp is a greater or white eyed kestrel. They indeed are native to the area and still numerous.
Todays stamp is issue A66 a one Lisente stamp issued by the independent Kingdom of Lesotho on April 20th 1981. It was a 14 stamp issue in various denominations that lasted many years with surcharges as the currency new in 1979 was devalued. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents unused.
Lesotho gained independence from Great Britain in 1965. Britain had retained ties extra long to prevent being absorbed by the apartheid South Africa. The old Basutoland had seceded some of there old Kingdom’s land to the then Boer Orange Free State with Britain guaranteeing the remaining territory. Lesotho claims that their tribal members are better off than their cousins who resided in South Africa. The major industry is working over the border in South African mines.
Lebua Jonathon was a minor chief and the illegitimate grandson of King Moeshoeshoe I. As a chief he got a better education and for a while was a supervisor in the mine before getting jobs in the colonial administration. As independence neared, he converted to Catholicism and became a leader in the Basotho National Party that was organized with the help of Canadian Catholic Missionaries. The party soon became closely aligned with the anti apartheid African National Congress. The rival Basutoland Congress Party was aligned with the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. This group believed that all of Africa belonged naturally to blacks and all others should not be allowed in the movement. They believed that the rival ANC was subverted by allowing whites, Jews, and Indians into their struggle as those folks are really just interested in a multi racial Marxist state. Jonathon was elected Prime Minister in a close vote with the other party then unsuccessfully trying to delay independence.
Jonathon unlike most African states maintained relations with South Africa with Jonathon having known most South African leaders for many years. This did not make him an outcast in black Africa as they understood Lesotho’s landlocked situation. The two parties were closely matched with Jonathon maintaining power. The rivalry then became strangely centered on white members of the tiny Lesotho defense forces. On Jonathon’s side was an American adventurer who had served in Rhodesia’s SAS named Bob Mackenzie. His people faced off against an intelligence General who later served Tanzania named Bernhard Leeman. How bizarre is it that the balance of power in a tiny always African Kingdom were outside mercenaries of another race. Jonathon was finally overthrown in a coup in 1986 after a 21 year rule. Bob MacKenzie later died while in the employ of Sierra Leone. Would a 1960 black independent South Africa be still subject to white mercenaries left over from the old days that the blacks employ but hate? I believe I can make out that writing on the wall.
Well my drink is empty. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.