Military units in Lesotho surrounded government and police buildings and gunfire was heard in the small mountainous southern African country on Saturday, in what diplomats said appeared to be an attempted coup.
“Military police have surrounded State House and there are reports of gunfire,” said one diplomat from the capital Maseru, who asked not to be named.
South African radio stations also reported that private radio stations were off the air in the nation, which is surrounded by South Africa.
But in a statement that heightened fears of a military takeover, the department cautioned against “any unconstitutional change of government”.
“The South African government has further noted with grave concern the unusual movements of Lesotho Defence Force units in the capital, Maseru.
“The South African government wishes to reaffirm and reiterate the African Union’s position on the unconstitutional change of governments . will not tolerate any unconstitutional change of government,” read the statement.
Defence force spokesman Brigadier-General Xolani Mabanga said the military’s border security operations had not been modified.
A UN staff member in Maseru said the situation appeared to be normal.
“Town is looking normal. What we are learning is from the South African media. Sometimes, though, things seem normal before they go pear-shaped.”
Political tensions have been running high in Lesotho since June when Prime Minister Thomas Thabane suspended the country’s parliament to avoid a no-confidence vote amid feuding in the two-year-old coalition government.
Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing had vowed to form a new coalition that would oust Thabane.
Neighbouring South Africa and the regional Southern African Development Community of which Lesotho is a member have warned the political rivals in the country that any unconstitutional change of government would not be tolerated.
Since independence in 1966, Lesotho has undergone a number of military coups. In 1998 at least 58 locals and eight South African soldiers died and large parts of Maseru were damaged during a political stand-off and subsequent fighting.
