SOUTH Africa’s police service has activated its highest-level crime-fighting units to investigate explosive allegations that Basotho nationals are conducting military training on South African farms, despite finding no evidence to support the claims to date.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed its elite Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit and Crime Intelligence Division in response to allegations made by Lesotho Police Chief Advocate Borotho Matsoso, treating the unsubstantiated claims as a potential national security breach.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola revealed the full-scale investigation during a Board of Commissioners meeting with all nine provincial commissioners, indicating the seriousness with which authorities are treating the allegations despite the absence of corroborating evidence.
The CATS unit has conducted extensive searches at identified farms across the country, but “no such evidence has been found to date,” according to a SAPS statement released Saturday. The searches represent South Africa’s most comprehensive response to what officials acknowledge are unproven allegations of military training linked to land reclamation campaigns.
The investigation comes as South Africa already grapples with documented criminal activity involving Basotho nationals, particularly in illegal mining operations that have become a persistent security concern.
SAPS Crime Intelligence has “highlighted their operations to investigate allegations made and where necessary, track down and take down such illegal activities,” according to the statement, suggesting authorities are prepared to act decisively if evidence emerges.
General Masemola has engaged directly with his Lesotho counterpart, with both commissioners agreeing to deploy intelligence structures to investigate the existence of alleged training camps. The bilateral cooperation underscores the potential diplomatic implications of the unverified claims.
“General 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,” the SAPS stated.
The mobilisation of South Africa’s premier investigative units – including the Board of Commissioners, the country’s highest police decision-making body – demonstrates how seriously authorities are treating allegations that remain without factual foundation.
SAPS has urged South Africans not to panic while police from both countries remain on high alert, as the investigation continues into claims that have yet to produce any physical evidence of the alleged military training activities.
