The South African Police Service (SAPS) is intensifying efforts to dismantle organised crime operations and address recent allegations made by Lesotho’s Police Commissioner, Advocate Borotho Matsoso, regarding possible illegal camps in South Africa.

In a scheduled Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said he met with all nine provincial commissioners to assess and strengthen crime combating strategies nationwide.

The BOC, the SAPS’ highest decision-making structure, includes Provincial Commissioners, Divisional Commissioners, and the Acting National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks.

IOL previously reported that Lesotho authorities claim they have credible intelligence that Basotho nationals are being trained militarily on South African farms as part of a growing land reclamation campaign.

The land in question includes areas of Free State, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. The group allegedly involved, calling itself Malata Naha (“land reclaimers”), has reportedly recruited individuals of various ages, including some South African citizens.

Matsoso told Newzroom Afrika that the programme has the potential to destabilise the region: “We have discovered that [Basotho nationals] have been recruited to join this military training in some of the farms in South Africa… This is what we have come across,” he said.

During the meeting, Masemola expressed satisfaction with recent progress, stating that organised crime syndicates are being “dismantled, dislodged, displaced and arrested.”

A preliminary report from SAPS Crime Intelligence was tabled, addressing the cross-border crime concerns raised by Advocate Matsoso.

Intelligence structures have reportedly “heightened their operations to investigate allegations made and where necessary, track down and take down such illegal activities,” said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe in a statement.

The DPCI’s Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit has been deployed to investigate these allegations.

According to the SAPS, “Various searches have been undertaken by CATS at various identified farms and no such evidence has been found to date.”

Mathe said Masemola has reached out to the Lesotho Police Chief, where the two commissioners discussed the allegations made by Advocate Matsoso.

”Both commissioners agreed that both law enforcement agencies intelligence structures are on the ground to investigate the existence of such camps,” she said. 

“General Fannie Masemola assures all people living in South Africa that the safety and security of the people of SA is of paramount importance and anyone who is found to be in the country committing illegal acts will face the full might of the law,” said Mathe. 

She added: “To this effect, intelligence structures and operatives are on the ground to establish facts.”

The situation stems from a long-standing territorial dispute. Lesotho MP and leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, Dr Tshepo Lipholo, has been at the forefront of the push to reclaim areas from South Africa.

He was recently arrested in Lesotho and charged with sedition and incitement after allegedly calling for armed struggle and declaring himself the “paramount chief of Basotholand”. Audio clips reportedly circulating on social media support these claims.

Although Lipholo travelled to the United Nations earlier this year to submit a land claim, Lesotho’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs distanced itself from the trip, clarifying that it was not sanctioned by the Maseru government.

Lesotho’s Prime Minister Samuel Matekane has since confirmed the state’s concern, stating the campaign threatens peace and national stability.

Citizens have been urged to remain calm.

“South Africans are urged not to panic or worry as police from both countries remain on high alert,” Mathe said.

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za

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