Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho
As soon as you cross the border in to Lesotho it is completely different. Many of the houses are made of stone and horses are a common form of transport. The roads are windier and people seem to drive slower. The views are incredible but the distances are just as vast.
The drive was long and so I only managed to fit one person in today. I did however stop a lot along the way and take in the incredible landscape along the ‘road’ that was really just a stoney path.
The Miners
No. 34
Matona Mabea, 62, was a team leader in Randfontein Mine where he worked for 30 years. He is from Ha Makoanyane in Lesotho and would travel to South Africa for work. Initially they would come home every 6 months but, as the borders became stricter, they would only be allowed to cross the border once a year.
Now that he has been retrenched, with R27,000 compensation for silicosis, he supports his wife and children by growing maize meal and exchanging it with his neighbours for other food. When they need money, they rely on their daughters to send money home.
