KING Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho died in a car accident early yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Ntsu Mokhehle, said in a broadcast.
"With the deepest sorrow I announce that I received a message from the police that at about four o'clock [2 a.m. Irish time] . . . His Majesty King Moshoeshoe died suddenly in a road accident," the ailing Prime Minister said.
He ordered national mourning until the king's burial. King Moshoeshoe's wife, Queen Mamohato, will act as regent until the College of Chiefs appoints a successor. It is expected that King Moshoeshoe's son, Prince Letsie, will succeed him.
President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, which surrounds the small mountain kingdom of 1.6 million people, expressed "profound shock" at the news.
Mr Mandela made a state visit to Lesotho last year and South Africa had been instrumental in returning King Moshoeshoe to the throne in January last year after he had been ousted by the country's former military rulers in 1990.
Mr Mandela said the death of the king, whose country gave South Africa's now ruling African National Congress (ANC) moral support during the fight against apartheid, was a great loss, not only to Lesotho, but to Africa.
"King Moshoeshoe II was a great friend of the people of South Africa, an able leader and one of the world's reigning monarchs who unequivocally embraced democracy within the context and traditions of their nations," he said. "We are confident that this tragedy will spur on the Basotho nation to close ranks and rally behind democracy and constitutional rule."
English educated King Moshoeshoe (57) returned to the throne a year ago, replacing Prince Letsie (32), who had sacked Mr Mokhehle (77).