Abstract
This study aimed to analyse and interrogate the role and contribution of South African provincial and local governments, including through their cross-border partnerships, to the search for social cohesion in the border regions between South Africa and Lesotho. Focusing mainly on the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces, including their border municipalities and non-state actors, the study examined how these subnational units have used their foreign relations and partnerships with their Lesotho counterparts to foster and promote social cohesion between the local communities along their borders. This was a qualitative study that employed a case study design, which used both the primary and secondary sources, as well as semi-structured interviews conducted by Prof F.I Nganje with subnational officials and non-state actors of the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces with knowledge of the nature of the relationship among the local communities in the South African and Lesotho border region and the cross-border social cohesion initiatives. The study revealed that the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces have been instrumental in promoting social cohesion among local communities along their borders with Lesotho, these provinces adopted a number of initiatives such as sporting activities, cultural exchanges, and community engagements, including through cross-border collaboration with their counterparts in Lesotho. However, these initiatives were not immune to constraints which impacted their effectiveness. Nonetheless, they contributed immensely to harmony in these regions. The findings of this study support the argument that in the incapacity of central states to effectively address rapidly evolving global issues, subnational actors are increasingly taking a role to close this gap. From the policy perspective, the study argues that aligning social cohesion efforts of subnational actors with national and SADC frameworks could improve the sustainability and effectiveness of subnational initiatives and regional integration in the SADC region.