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Call for extension of Lesotho Special Permit deadline

Source: Groundup, 27/05/2016

Call for extension of Lesotho Special Permit deadline
Groundup - 22 May 2016
Less than 2% of Lesotho nationals have applied so far
Immigrant rights group People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty
(PASSOP) has called for an extension of the deadline for the Lesotho
Special Permit.
PASSOP wants the deadline extended from 30 June 2016 to 30 September
2016 to allow more Lesotho nationals to regularise their stay in South
Africa.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, of the 400,000 to 500,000
Lesotho nationals in South Africa, only 5,694 have successfully
applied since the programme was launched in February this year.
This was less than 2% of the Lesotho nationals in SA, said PASSOP
director Bernard Toyambi.
"It will be unrealistic to complete the process by 30 June 2016," he said.
Toyambi said there were 3,500 Lesotho nationals working permanently
and another 1,500 seasonal workers in the area, but they had not been
properly informed about the special permit. PASSOP`s Owen Maromo, who
has been assisting Lesotho nationals in De Doorns with applications,
only 14 out of the 5,000 Lesotho nationals in De Doorns had applied.
Those who did know about the programme had difficulty completing the
form in English, Maromo said, and also faced problems travelling to
Cape Town to submit their applications. A return trip to Cape Town
cost about R200, he said.
Some had to return to Lesotho for an ID. The trip cost about R700 each
way.
Thabo Mokgola, spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs, said
the department was working closely with Lesotho authorities on the issue.

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