On your way to Afriski, through either the Ficksburg or Caledonspoort border posts, you may want to stop to take in the view.
After numerous fights and battles against both the British and the Boer colonizers, Lesotho was declared a British protectorate in 1867, when King Moshoeshoe appealed to Queen Victoria to stop the constant struggle for land. As a British protectorate, Lesotho was somewhat protected from being further annexed and colonized by the Boers. Lesotho’s current size was defined by a treaty later signed between the British and the Boers, whereby the Boers were given a large portion of the Western Region of the old Basutholand. For a number of years, Lesotho’s territory was often challenged by the British, but fortunately, the land remained autonomous right up until 1966, when it was declared an independent state. Luckily, due to its status as a British protectorate and independent state, Lesotho never ran the risk of falling under any of Apartheid’s race-driven rules and regulations. However, being a country where poverty and low-earnings are rife, many of Lesotho’s people were forced to cross the border where they were made to work on the mines in South Africa.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the National Party government completely closed its borders to Lesotho, restricting the transport of food and other goods into Lesotho. This was due to the harsh criticism vocalized by Chief Leabua Jonothan – the then chief who was in great support of the ANC. The borders were only re-opened about 15 years later when Chief Leabua Jonothan was overthrown by a military coup, happily funded by the National Party government. Once the borders were re-opened, the National Party frequently deported ANC members to Lesotho, refusing them from ever entering South Africa again.
The cache is small but brightly coloured. It is extremely important that you hide the cache well, as the Lesotho locals walk the roads frequently and will no doubt notice anything unusual.