Overview

 Often called “The Kingdom in the Sky,” or, “The Roof of Africa,” Lesotho is a landlocked country completely encased by South Africa. This mountainous kingdom is comprised primarily of highland plateaus, causing many villages to be isolated–reachable only by light aircraft, horseback, or on foot. The Kingdom of Lesotho has a population of 2.2 million people.

Arts and Humanities

 The people of Lesotho speak primarily Sesotho and English.  The Sesotho language has an extensive written body of literature as it was one of the earliest African languages to emerge in written form.  Thus, music, dance and literature are often combined in traditional Sotho performances.  These cultural productions often weave the retelling of ancient folktales with chanting, singing, clapping and high-kicking dances. Stringed instruments, whistles, rattles and drums are just some of the instruments that grace traditional Sotho performances.  

Environmental Conditions

 Lesotho is a developing country. Thus, the survival of its people is heavily reliant on its natural resources. The highlands that comprise most of Lesotho are environmentally harsh. As such, the lowlands of this alpine country have very limited agricultural space.  Lesotho is heavily dependent on South Africa.  The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (“LHWP”) was fully initiated in the 1990s.  The primary purpose of LHWP is to transfer water to South Africa.  Although proceeds from this project account for 75% of Lesotho’s budget, as a result of recent droughts, the country has seen its crops wither as its water is transported to South Africa.  Due to uncontrolled grazing and rushing surface water, much of Lesotho has been stripped of its natural grass cover. Desertification, soil erosion and soil exhaustion are major problems in Lesotho.  Additionally, unlike in South Africa, the game and wildlife indigenous to Lesotho is sparse.

Leadership

 Lesotho’s head of state is King Letsie III, but the monarch has no executive or legislative powers.  The prime minister of Lesotho is Pakalitha Mosisili I.  Mr. Mosisili’s Democratic Congress formed Lesotho’s second consecutive coalition government.

Media Profile

 Lesotho’s most popular entertainment medium is radio. Residents of Lesotho can receive domestic stations as well as TV and radio broadcasts from South Africa.  Radio Lesotho is the kingdom’s only national station.  However, commercial and private radio broadcasts are on air as well.  Media freedom is generally respected in Lesotho and private press is allowed to voice opposition views.  Of the 2.2 million residents of Lesotho, there were less than 84,000 internet users by December of 2011.

Our Lesotho Portfolio

Overview  

True to its name, South Africa is the southernmost country on the African continent and is home to over 50.7 million people.  This southern country is celebrated for its rich natural beauty–ranging from broad deserts and grassy savannas to natural forests and mountainous valleys. This fertile land is home to more than 20,000 species of flowering plants and 1,000 species of mammals and birds. South Africa has a relatively stable economy and its political equality has increased since the legal ending of apartheid (racial separation). However, ethnic tensions, great economic disparities, increased crime rates and the HIV pandemic are some of the major problems still faced in South Africa.    

Arts and Humanities

South Africa has eleven official languages.  These include Afrikaans, English, Sesotho, Setswana, Zulu and Xhosa.  The country is incredibly culturally diverse.  As such, popular South African music is often a wonderful fusion of different cultural influences–from pop music, traditional indigenous music and township jazz to religious ballads and the lifela song-poems of Sotho migrant workers.  South African music has international popularity.  For example, township music (an energetic form of music that developed in South African townships during the apartheid) has flourished in popularity not only within the country, but internationally. Even when segregated, musicians of different backgrounds often collaborate musically, forming mixed-race bands with delightful multi-cultural flavor.  

Environmental Conditions

South Africa has some of the best-maintained parks, reserves and gardens in the world.  However, the country still suffers from serious environmental problems.  Most threatening are unbridled livestock grazing, urban development as well as surface pollution and disturbance from mining.  Additionally, many environmental issues still cling to South Africa as a result of the apartheid era. Overpopulation of the former bantustans (black homelands) resulted in the overgrazing and overfarming of limited areas of land.  This, in turn, led to widespread erosion, degradation, deforestation and desertification. Over half of South Africa’s population still lack access to clean water and adequate waste and sewage disposal methods. This is particularly apparent in South Africa’s shantytowns (informal settlements on the fringes of major cities).  The water courses many residents rely upon for drinking water are often polluted by waste and refuse.  Carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and open fires and subsequent acid rain are major sources of pollution in South Africa.

Leadership

South Africa was controlled by a white minority until 1994.  This minority enforced the apartheid, a separation of races.  After decades of protests and opposition, the apartheid government was negotiated out of power and replaced by a democratically-elected leadership.  This democracy encouraged reconciliation and set about amending social imbalance.  Jacob Zuma of the African National Congress party was elected president by parliament in May of 2009.  President Zuma was a major opponent of the apartheid most of his adult life.

Media Profile

South Africa is the major contributor of media in Africa and its press and broadcasters reflect the diversity of its inhabitants.  Both state-run and commercial television broadcasts across the country with hundreds of thousands of viewers.  There are dozens of state-owned and private radio stations available in the nation’s capital alone. Additionally, many radio stations targeting local ethnic groups and neighborhoods are available.  The constitutionally provided freedom of press is generally respected and there is little evidence that expression is repressed.  Nearly 14% of South Africans have internet access–catalyzed by the popularity of mobile phones and social media.  

Our South Africa Portfolio

Overview

Namibia is a large country that graces the southwestern coast of Africa.  Namibia has a spectacular landscape that varies from grassy savanna to arid desert. Breathtaking mountains reach towards the sky and deep canyons carve across the land. However, this dazzling country is sparsely populated as only its northern frontier is passable.  In fact, Namibia is home to only 2.4 million people.  The skeleton coast (a collection of treacherous coastal shoals and reefs), the fevered Namib desert and dry Kalahari region geographically frame Namibia.  Both the Kalahari and Namib are home to fragile and exotically beautiful desert plants. Namibia also hosts a significant amount of game animals–most notably the antelope and giraffe.

Arts and Humanities

English is the official language in Namibia, but German, Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo, Herero and Nama are also widely spoken across the country.  Namibia is incredibly diverse. Artists often sing in their native tongue, but popular songs can contain up to three different languages.  Before the country gained independence, political music was incredibly popular, particularly in the 1960s to 1990s.  Modern song lyrics still often contain messages of love, peace, resistance, friendship and family. Namibia’s modern music scene has a number of popular genres.  These include Kwaito, a South African-based genre that expanded into Namibia; Shambo, a lyrical genre pioneered by the Oshiwambo-speaking people of Namibia and popular in the rural parts of the country; reggae; gospel; Africaans pop music; hip-hop and Afro-pop.  

Environmental Conditions

Despite Namibia’s sparse population, excessive farming has damaged the fragile ecology in the northern regions. Most of the perennial grasses and woodlands have vanished.  Overhunting and drought has significantly depleted game herds. However, in recent times, progress has been made. In the 1980’s, the government began employing persons from local communities to search for and report poachers and to act as tourist guides around the vicinities of their home. In return, they would receive a monthly stipend and food ration.  By making wildlife preservation lucrative and non-disruptive, wildlife is rebounding and ecotourism has begun to flourish.  

Leadership

South Africa controlled Namibia during WWI.  However, the country gained its independence in 1990 after a 25-year long war. Namibia is still culturally diverse and inter-racial reconciliation has long been encouraged.  In November of 2014, while serving prime minister, Hage Geingob was voted in as Namibia’s president. President Geingob was Namibia’s first prime minister since the country gained independence.  As President, Geingob will share executive power with Namibia’s cabinet. His presidency is limited to two five-year terms.  

Media Profile

Namibia is very media-friendly.  The government respects the constitutionally provided freedom of press.  News is freely circulated and opposition views are openly expressed.  There are currently more than 20 community and private radio stations that broadcast across the country. By June of 2012, there were 260,000 internet users in Namibia.