C ▁troops ▁with d rew ▁from ▁Les oth o ▁in ▁May ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Post - ap art heid ▁relations ▁South ▁Africa ▁held ▁its ▁first ▁dem ocr atic ▁elections ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁Since ▁then , ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁influence ▁in ▁Les oth o ▁has ▁grown . ▁It ▁is ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁Les oth o ▁High lands ▁Water ▁Project , ▁an ▁on going ▁water ▁supply ▁and ▁hydro - power ▁project . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁South ▁African ▁President ▁Jacob ▁Z uma ▁led ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁invest ors ▁and ▁polit icians ▁to ▁Les oth o , ▁where ▁they ▁discussed ▁bil ater al ▁co operation ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁regional ▁political ▁develop ments . ▁While ▁in ▁Les oth o ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Z uma ▁visited ▁the ▁Kat se ▁Dam ▁and ▁addressed ▁a ▁joint ▁session ▁of ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁Les oth o . ▁ ▁Anne x ation ▁propos als ▁Due ▁to ▁Les oth o ' s ▁economic ▁and ▁ge ographical ▁relationship ▁with ▁South ▁Africa , ▁some ▁activ ists ▁within ▁Les oth o ▁have ▁ur ged ▁the ▁country ▁to ▁accept ▁an nex ation . ▁Les oth o ▁( then ▁Bas ut ol and , ▁a ▁British ▁prote ctor ate ) ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁to ▁the ▁Cape ▁Col ony ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁but ▁became ▁separated ▁again ▁( as ▁a ▁crown ▁col ony ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁trade