Why did Basutoland become part of the Cape Colony in 1871?

Basutoland was placed under the administration of the Cape Colony in 1871 following its annexation by the British in 1868.12

The annexation itself was prompted by the near-total defeat of the Sotho nation by the Orange Free State during the land wars of the 1860s. Facing the collapse of his kingdom, the founder of the Sotho nation, Moshoeshoe, made repeated appeals to the British for protection. Sir Philip Wodehouse, the British high commissioner of the Cape Colony, annexed the territory to prevent its complete absorption by the Boers. Shortly after the borders were delimited in 1869, the British handed the territory over to the Cape Colony for administration.12

This arrangement lasted until 1884, when Basutoland reverted to direct British rule following the Gun War, a conflict sparked by the Cape government's unsuccessful attempt to disarm the Sotho population.32