The world heritage site of Maloti-Drakensberg Park of Lesoth, which according to scholars bears San people’s cultural heritage, is a transnational site spanning the border between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa. The Transboundary Peace Park links the Sehlabathebe National Park (and eventually the contiguous Sehlabathebe and Mokhotlong Range) in Lesotho with uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. It exhibits a mixture of cultural heritage of different ancient tribes. Its place-names, unlike other world heritage sites, show certain geographical elements which are absent in others.

Maloti refers to ancient Miletus, and also to a flower in this name called ‘malati’; Drakens-berg identifies ‘Dakshina’ means the ‘south’ country. Lesoth pinpoints ancient Lichahhavis or the Litsabyis to whom Ptolemy knew as Lestai and he included with it the land of the people of Samarade, Pagrass, Pithonebaste, Akadra, and Zabai where then flew the River Sobanos. San or Sana refers to San monastery which identifies Sankasya where then existed monastery of Upagupta and also in biblical time, it was home to Catherine Monastery.

Peace Park— marks ‘Santa-Ros’ a place near ancient San ; Santa means ‘Peace’;

Sehlabathebe—Sahya mountain/Sahya country which identifies San and Sahan

Mokhotlong—Mukha(means ‘face’) or mukshys (means ‘prime’) marks Mokka seat of worship;

uKhahlamba—uK-alamba/marks ‘Uruk’ or Arka and Alaba or seat of worship of Amba or it may means Amba at Kahala(a place near San).

The merged park includes Golden Gate Highlands National Park, QwaQwa National Park and Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve(Free State) : uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and Royal Natal Park(KwaZulu-Natal) and Sehlabathebe National Park(Lesotho). The highest peak is Thaba Ntlenvana. The northern and the southern sections are known as   amaNgwane, amaZizi and Ezemvelo regions. The Thukela River from uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park flows eastwards into the Indian Ocean. The rivers of southern Maloti Drakensberg flows into the Senqu/Orange River which flows westwards into the Atlantic Ocean,

Golden Gate Highlands—Mt Hor and Caspian Sea(same as Kesaba Bridge; Kesaba means ‘Gold’)

QwaQwa—means Ka-Ka, refers to a ‘bird’ in this name; identifies the San region near Mt Caucasus.

Sterkfontein—Sterk-fontaine means Sribanta/or Stri-vana

KwaZulu-Natal—Kajala(( also Kajala-patia) neighbourly to San monastery and seat of worship of Kasyapa or Zeus.

Thaba Ntlenvana—refers to either Hentala-vana( a seashore forest) or to Niloptala of the Blue Lotus of the Nile River identifying the San region

amaNgwane— Mother of Agni/ or Naga tribe(Naguni)

amaZizi —Mother of Jara /or Zara

Ezemvelo regions—region of Jama same as Jerusalem/Ezion-geber

Thukela River—Takka/Takkala River/Indus

Senqu/Orange River —River Sakka/Uraga/Oronto

According to Unesco, ‘….the property has numerous caves and rock shelters containing an estimated 665 rock art sites, and the number of individual images in those sites probably exceeds 35,000. The images depict animals and human beings, and represent the spiritual life of the San people, representing an exceptionally coherent tradition that embodies their beliefs and cosmology over several millennia. There are also paintings ..attributable to Bantu speaking people..’ here. San people are also called Bushmen locally, and their arts are referred to as Morijja Arts. The annual arts and cultural festival of San people are known by this name and it is held in the Morijja town itself. Morijja refers to Moragall as same as Sama-galla or Sama village aof ancient history. It may also mark the Mogha-raja who was a student if Bavari according to Pali literature.

National anthem of Lesoth is known as ‘Lesoth Fatse La Bo-ntata Rona’; it is according to scholars on translation means ‘Land of Our Fore-Fathers’. Fatse in Chinese marks ‘Vakshu’ or ‘Baku’ which marks ‘Bo-ntata’ or the place of ‘Bo’ Tree or the place of bantes means ‘monks’;

Lesotho’s ethno-linguistic structure consists almost entirely of the Basotha, a Bantu-speaking people:  here ‘bantu’ is as same as ‘bante’ means ‘monk’ ; it is still more interesting when Basotho subgroup names are seen as Bafokeng; Batloung, Baputhi, Bakuena, Bataung, Batsoneng and Matebele are seen as place-names(associated with monks/arhants) in the ancient world. Metebele were the historic people who were again considered as Ndebele whose history is linked to Zulu and Shaka or Saka kings; here Nde should be seen as “Narada’ , an ascetic or followers of ascetic Narada; it would be wrong to identify Basotho subgroups with names of animals. Basotho refers to ancient ‘Basabhas’ who were using flutes and were shephedic people identified with Alavi and Girima(Giri-Maa) region near Mt Sumeru, seat of worship ]Sri Mata’ For historical clarity  here ‘Mete’ should be read as Mata’ or ‘Mother’(Maa) exactly referring to English ‘Mater’.

Historic names of Kings, names of different tribes, and names of different places collectively make a cohesive approach to the ancient homelands from where the migrants came to settle here. It is so wonderfully weaved in the names of the regions that keeps the cup of memory of its people full for its present generations’ knowledge to invest their academic scholarship to know them.