Under President Nelson Mandela the ANC-led government in South Africa (which completely landlocks Lesotho) announced it would create a SADC commission to determine the allegations of corruption.

In light of the rising crisis and lack of support from elements of the state, the de jure ruling party, the LCD, sent a plea for military assistance to South Africa and Botswana.

[5] Mandela approved[6] the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to Lesotho on 22 September 1998 to quell the rioting and maintain order.

South Africa was accused in some quarters of using its military and diplomatic superiority as a regional hegemon to dominate and meddle in the internal affairs of its much smaller, weaker enclave in order to further its own strategic interests, in particular the water supply to its economic hub, Gauteng Province.

[9] In November 1998 the opposition parties accepted an agreement where the LCD government would be restored to power in return for the establishment of the Independent Political Authority (IPA).