Some aspects of economic relations between South Africa and the BLS countries in the 1970s

Abstract

Just prior to obtaining independence, the High Commission Territories (HCTs) were characterised as Africa's hostages. As the fledgling states of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (BLS) set out on their first full decade of independence, they were indeed conscious of the depth of their economic ties with South Africa ties which had been knotted by a combination of historical events and geographic location but which they now, for political reasons, needed to be seen to be attempting to loosen. The ties essentially were those of trade, investment, transport and employment. Since the 1890s, the three territories had been in common customs and monetary systems with the area which later was covered by a unified South African state, while flows of migrant labour to South Africa (principally the mines) had grown in intensity. Their landlockedness, together with free trade, had ensured that BLS were integrated into the South African rail, road and port systems.