NOTHERN REGION
MOREMOHOLO MILITARY POST
Moremoholo Military Post is a seasonal post established at the Border Pass leading to Monontsa, RSA. It was established in 2017 to block the cross-border livestock trafficking that was worryingly taking place between Lesotho and RSA. It has also been established that the stolen animals are sold through a network by transnational organised criminals from RSA and Lesotho.
SOUTHERN SECTOR
T’SUPANE MILITARY POST
MILITARY POST
T’supane Military Post is found on the southern sector of the country west of the Mafeteng district. It is a permanent post established in the year 2000 at the Border between Lesotho and RSA. It was established to block the various cross-border criminal activities such as dagger smuggling, stock-theft, car-theft, etc. The area deals more with smuggling of vehicles and arms.
SOUTHERN SECTOR
TEBELLONG MILITARY POST
Tebellong Military Post is a non permanent post established in 2016, on request of Tebellong community as a result of the serious mostly armed criminal activities such as armed stock-theft, armed-robberies and unscrupulous killings of innocent people. This move was in response to support the police in their daily duties. The main concern for the local communities was that those acts were seemingly gotten out of civilian police control hence their request for military to be present.
SOUTHERN REGION
QABANE MILITARY POST
Qabane Military Post is a non permanent post established in 2018, in the district of Mohale’s Hoek, on request of Qabane community as a result of the armed criminal activities such as armed stock-theft, armed-robberies and uncalled for killings of innocent people. The main concern for the local communities was that, such acts were seemingly happening openly because the area had no civilian police. The area is also movable only on foot and horse thereby posing a challenge for the police to arrive on time if so required.
The military had to establish a post in response to the public outcry until the situation could prove to normalize. The community supports the army with horses when duty calls. To cement the relatinship the army is providing other services including medical assistance and cuncelling.
SOUTHERN REGION
MAKOAE MILITARY POST
It is a non permanent post established, in 2015, in the district of Qacha’s Nek at the village of Ha Makoae situated at proximity to Border Passes leading to Matatiele, on the request of Ha Makoae communities. It was established to block the TIKOKO and other tributary passes that were worryingly used as armed cross-border livestock trafficking routes between Lesotho and RSA criminals.
The main concern for the local communities was that, those acts actually were happening frequently and that such acts require full time presence of security members. The army would be able to conduct patrols and cover the distance from the passes with full concentration to that particular effect.
SOUTHERN REGION
SEKOKOANENG MILITARY POST
It is a non permanent post established in 2018, in the district of Qacha’s Nek at the villages in the vicinity of the Border Passes leading to Matatiele, on the request of Sekokoaneng communities. It was established to block the Tsatsa - Lemeno and other tributary passes that were worryingly used for cross-border livestock trafficking routes between Lesotho and RSA criminals. The main concern for the local communities was that those acts required full time presence of security members.
The passes in that areas allow for a large quantity of animals to pass through and people have already lost their animals in numbers. In addition, the perpetrators, like in various rustling activities, are armed.
SOUTHERN REGION
SEHLABATHEBE KOUNG MILITARY POST
It is situated in the district of Qacha’s Nek, established in 2015 at the villages close to the Border Passes leading to Matatiele, on the request of Sehlabathebe communities. It was established to block the Mafika - Lisiu and other tributary passes that were freely used by the armed criminals as livestock trafficking routes between Lesotho and RSA. The major concern by the local communities was that those acts required close monitoring and that the police post is at a distance hence their request for military to be present pursuant to military secondary role.
SOUTHERN REGION
SEHLABATHEBE PARK MILITARY POST
It is a second post within the vicinity of Sehlaba -Thebe National Park established in 2015, to lookout and prevent cross-border criminal activities along the routes passing through the park leading to and from Matatiele, RSA and vice versa Sehlabathebe, Lesotho.
The reason for establishing the second post in the general area of Sehlaba- Thebe is associated with the limited number of army personnel in that area and could not stretch to the vicinity of this other passes.
SOUTHERN REGION
LEBAKENG MILITARY POST
It is a non permanent post established in 2015, on request of Lebakeng community as a result of armed criminal activities such as stock-theft, robberies and killings of innocent people amongst other.
The area was used to hide criminals before launching theft activities. It further became a threat to the members of the community who were against such barbaric acts. Any community member reporting to the police was likely to be killed if the perpetrators get to know them.
The main concern for the local communities was that those acts were seemingly gotten out of civilian police control since they operate from a distance hence their request for military presence pursuant to military secondary role.
NOTHERN REGION
LIBELETENG MILITARY POST
It is a seasonal post established in 2016, at the Border Pass in the locality of Monontsa, leading to RSA. It was established to block the cross-border livestock trafficking that is immensely taking place between Lesotho and RSA by perpetrators from both countries.
The investigations have further revealed that there is a syndicate comprising of both RSA and Lesotho nationals who are involved in cross - border crime. When animals are stolen from Lesotho to RSA or visa vesa, they are distributed to other members of the syndicate who are ready to receive the animals in a short space of time.
It becomes difficult therefore to find the animals if the owner or police could follow them in a shot period of time.
NOTHERN REGION
MATJEKATJEKA MILITARY POST
It is a seasonal post established in 2017 at the vicinity of a Border Pass leading to Qwaqwa, and other parts of RSA. It was established to curb the cross-border livestock theft that was frequently taking place between Lesotho and RSA.
Since it was established, a lot of animals have been recovered before they cross to South Africa. The remaining challenge is the resources that would allow the army to permanently be at the area despite the changing weather environment.
NOTHERN REGION
LETLAPENG MILITARY POST
It is also a seasonal post established in 2017 at the Border Pass leading to Qwaqwa, and other parts of RSA. The purpose was to prevent the cross-border livestock theft that was severely taking place between Lesotho and RSA.
Letlapeng Post has the similar challenges of resources in order to make it a permanent post. Since its establishment, various incidents occurred where rustlers were arrested but in some cases managed to escape leaving behind the stolen animals.
NOTHERN REGION
TLHANYAKU MILITARY POST
It is a seasonal post established at the Border Pass leading to RSA. It was established in 2017 to block the cross-border livestock trafficking that was taking place between Lesotho and RSA. The investigations surrounding the issue revealed that the crime were perpetrated by organised criminals, Their mode of operandi forced the army to deploy since the routes they used for trafficking the animals were far from the police post. Since its inception a lot of aninimals have been recovered.
LDF tasks are always delivered directly by soldiers through human interaction. They are our greatest assets. The LDF embraces diversity, inclusivity and contributes to society in everything it does. We have to make life-critical decisions and take purposeful action in sometimes hostile, confusing and unclear situations that occasionally test us to the limit of human endurance. Our training, development and preparation is personally rewarding but also ensures we are united by common values and strong bonds and will do the right thing, even under the most difficult circumstances.