Notes on the migrant labour system in Lesotho

Lesotho is a perfect example of a complete labour reserve economy. Five out of six citizens of Lesotho held jobs in South Africa, 45% of adults were absentees working and residing in South Africa even though they were subject to influx control policies. Furthermore McDowall records that the great involvement of Basotho in the migrant labour practice in directly linked with poverty and landlesness