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South Africa to offer Lesotho nationals special immigration dispensation – Minister

Source: Star Africa, 06/11/2015


Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation,
Jeff Radebe has announced that the South African cabinet has approved
the introduction of a Lesotho dispensation as regards its nationals
living in the country without proper travel documentation.Briefing the
media on Thursday in Cape Town on the outcome of a biweekly cabinet
meeting, the minister said: "This dispensation will assist in better
management of the labour flow of Lesotho nationals who come to South
Africa in violation of the country`s current immigration
mechanisms.

"
Lesotho`s dispensation, similar to the one given to Zimbabwe`s
nationals recently, is set to begin on 1 February 2016, according to
the minister.


A special dispensation was granted to nationals of neighbouring
Zimbabwe in 2010 following a steady flow of its nationals entering the
country escaping election violence, and the facility has subsequently
been extended, Radebe said.


Unlike Zimbabwe, however, Lesotho`s mountainous kingdom is completely
surrounded by South African territory.


The kingdom recently experienced a massive movement of its nationals
to South Africa due to political instability, including a failed coup
d`état in Maseru last year.


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