Lesotho amends constitution to allow for dual citizenship

Source: IOL, 03/12/2018

`We have amended our constitution to allow for dual citizenship,
but the target was not South Africa per se. We are targeting all
the countries where we have lost Basotho as a result of dual
citizenship [problems], whether they have taken American
citizenship, they have taken British citizenship, they have taken
South African citizenship, whether they have taken German
citizenship.
`We are targeting all Basothos who have lost citizenship so that
we can still reverse the brain drain, because we have suffered
serious brain drain as a result of losing those skills,` he said.
Au was speaking in Rustenburg in the North West during a visit to
inform members of the Free Basotho Movement of development in
Lesotho. The Free Basotho Movement has been calling for Lesotho to
be incorporated into South Africa.
He said Lesotho was unique in the sense that it was surrounded by
South Africa, unlike other neighbouring countries. `We are not
like Zimbabweans, we are not Zambians, we are not like Batswanas,
we are totally unique when in comes to South Africa, we are in the
middle of South Africa, we are surrounded by South Africa, so that
means our relations with South Africa have to be very unique.`
Au said Basothos had lost their citizenship when they took out
another country`s citizenship and thus Lesotho had lost a number
of people they had invested in educationally.
He also condemned killings in Sondela and appealed for calm,
saying there was a committee in Lesotho attending to problems
Basotho faced in South Africa.
At least 11 people have been killed in recent clashes between
Basotho and Xhosas in Sondela near Rustenburg. The clashes were
allegedly set-off by a love rivalry between a Xhosa man and a
Mosotho. The two reportedly fought over a woman in August. The
Mosotho was stabbed and taken to hospital, and a few days later
the Xhosa man who allegedly stabbed him was beaten up by a group
of Basotho men at a soccer match at a local sport ground.
Things got out of hand on November 18 when two Basotho men were
brutally killed, allegedly by a group of Xhosa men. They were
allegedly hit with hammers and their bodies dragged to an open
veld where they were set alight.
In retaliation, the Basotho were reinforced by a group called the
Marashiya from Lesotho. On November 25, four men and a woman were
kidnapped. They were found dead the next day. Three men and a
woman had been burnt with old tyres while another man was stabbed
in the neck and his nose was cut off.
Eight people have been arrested and three are due to appear in the
Rustenburg Magistrate`s Court on Monday on charges of conspiracy
to commit murder. The other five are expected to appear in the
same court on December 6.