oth o ▁is ▁completely ▁surrounded ▁by ▁South ▁Africa . ▁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 ▁separate ▁again ▁( as ▁a ▁crown ▁col ony ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁When ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁there ▁were ▁moves ▁by ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁include ▁Les oth o . ▁However , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁gained ▁full ▁independence . ▁Despite ▁formal ▁independence , ▁the ▁white - control led ▁government ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁played ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁its ▁neighbour ' s ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁affairs , ▁including ▁supporting ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Les oth o ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Chief ▁Le ab ua ▁Jonathan . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁South ▁Africa ▁supported ▁the ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁in ▁Les oth o ▁which ▁brought ▁Justin ▁Le kh anya ▁to ▁power . ▁In ▁turn , ▁Le kh anya ' s ▁government ▁exp elled ▁African ▁National ▁Congress ▁members ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁techn icians ▁from ▁North ▁Korea , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁significantly ▁better ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁South ▁Africa ▁led ▁a ▁military ▁inter vention ▁in ▁Les oth o ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁S AD C , ▁after ▁post - e lection ▁ri oting ▁and ▁rum ours ▁of ▁a ▁possible ▁coup . ▁S AD