Africa: Many Basotho Eye Jobs in South Africa, but Most Favour Limited in-Migration

Almost half of adults say they given emigration at least “a little” thought.

Key findings

Seven in 10 Basotho (71%) say Southern Africans should be able to move freely across international borders in order to trade or work in other countries. o But three-quarters (76%) say that in practice, crossing international borders is difficult, an assessment that has been increasing steadily. Only one in 20 Basotho (5%) say they have heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Basotho are divided on immigrants’ economic impact on Lesotho: 46% see it as positive, while 49% say it is negative. Majorities say they would like or wouldn’t mind living next door to foreign workers or immigrants (75%) and refugees (64%). Even so, two-thirds of Basotho say the government should reduce the number of foreign job seekers it allows to enter the country (37%) or eliminate such immigration altogether (28%). o A similar majority favour reducing (37%) or eliminating (29%) entry by refugees. Nearly half (46%) of respondents say they have considered leaving Lesotho. o This figure is highest among citizens with post-secondary education (62%), youth (56%), urban residents (53%), and men (51%). The most common reasons cited for potential emigration are economic, led by the search for work opportunities (72%). The most popular destination among potential emigrants is South Africa (72%).

High unemployment, persistent poverty, and rising food insecurity due to climate-change impacts on agriculture (Lesotho Times, 2024) make out-migration a central issue in Lesotho. The 2016 Population and Housing Census estimated that about one in 12 Lesotho citizens were living outside the country (Bureau of Statistics, 2018; International Organization for Migration, 2024), though unofficial estimates place the total far higher (Public Eye, 2024a). More than 99% of those migrating go to South Africa, their economically powerful neighbour, where Basotho make up about 11% of immigrants (Statistics South Africa, 2023).

Remittances from labour migrants made up about 24% of gross domestic product in 2023 (Global Economy, 2024). But many Basotho who leave for better work opportunities, particularly those entering South Africa illegally, are at risk of exploitative labour practices, human trafficking, and sexual abuse (U.S. State Department, 2024).

They also contend with high costs for sending money home from South Africa, even though both countries are in the Common Monetary Area (World Bank, 2018; Christianson, 2023). A more stringent and costly electronic funds transfer regime that became operational in October has made the situation worse (South African Reserve Bank, 2024; Post, 2024).

To address these issues, the government developed the Lesotho Remittance Strategy in 2018 and the Lesotho National Migration Development Policy in 2021 (European Union Global Diaspora Facility, 2024). Several meetings between Lesotho and South Africa officials have attempted to ease cross-border movement by Basotho (Public Eye, 2024b). The Lesotho government also established an Anti-Trafficking Multi-Sectoral Committee to coordinate anti trafficking efforts and allocated a budget for awareness, training, and prevention activities (U.S. State Department, 2024).

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Ahead of International Migrants Day (18 December), the latest Afrobarometer survey sheds light on Basotho perspectives on migration. Findings show that while citizens favour the free movement of people to work and trade in Southern Africa, most want fewer foreigners to come into their own country. This view prevails even though a majority of respondents profess no reservations about living next door to foreign workers or refugees.

Meanwhile, nearly half of adults have themselves considered emigration, mostly in search of work in South Africa. Young and highly educated citizens are especially likely to contemplate moving abroad.

Libuseng Malephane is the national investigator for Lesotho.

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