Pretoria – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Tuesday expressed concern at the low number of Basotho nationals who have applied to formalise their status in the country.
Since the Lesotho Special Permit (LSP) was announced by the Department of Home Affairs in March this year, the Lesotho Special Permit Centre in Midrand has received just over 5 000 applications and 117 permits have been issued.
The purpose of the Lesotho Special Permit is to regularise the stay of Lesotho nationals currently residing in South Africa illegally. It is meant to document those who are working, studying or running businesses in South Africa, without appropriate documentation.
This includes those Lesotho nationals who have been in the country in such capacity before 30 September 2015. The permits will be valid until 31 December 2019.
It is estimated that there are about 400 000 to 500 000 Lesotho nationals who are residing in South Africa.
During a visit to the Lesotho Special Permit Centre in Midrand, earlier on Tuesday, Minister Gigaba said the numbers of applications were not as high as anticipated.
Minister Gigaba’s visit was aimed at assessing the levels of applications made so far and to interact with applicants. To date, there are 11 centres throughout the country.
A concern that emerged during the visit was that employers are not always willing to provide employees with employment letters so they can apply for their documents.
The Minister appealed to employers to grant them letters that states that they have employed them.
“We are appealing to the employers to comply and assist their employees with the necessary documents. Nobody will be persecuted for employing the Basotho nationals who are in the country illegally,” the Minister said.
Minister Gigaba assured Basotho nationals who are in the country illegally that they will not be prosecuted if they use the opportunity to regularise their stay in the country.
However, if they failed to use the opportunity presented by the Lesotho Special Permit, those found to be illegally staying in the country after the deadline will be prosecuted.
He added that the deadline will not be extended.
Lesotho Home Affairs Principal Secretary Borenahabokhethe Sekonyela appealed to Basotho nationals who are in the country illegally to use the opportunity to regularise their status.
“I am appealing to those who are still hiding or afraid, to come out and apply for their documents,” he said.
Sekonyela thanked the South African government for the opportunity given to the Basotho nationals to regularise their status.
During his interaction with the applicants and Home Affairs officials, the Minister gained first-hand experience of the processes of applying for the documents.
Lesotho national, Mareitumetse Fefane, who is working as a domestic worker in Midrand, said it was a big day for her as she was collecting her work permit. She applied for the permit on 7 March.
“Now I am able to move freely,” she told SAnews with excitement.
Fefane said she has been in South Africa for 14 years.
Nteboheng Mohlachane, who was among the many Basotho nationals who came to the centre to apply for her work permit, told SAnews she is looking forward to having her permit soon.
“I am happy that the South African government has given us an opportunity to apply for our permits,” she said.
Through the Lesotho Special Permit process, those applicants who are in possession of fraudulent South African documents are advised to surrender them to designated Home Affairs offices and by so doing they will be given an amnesty letter. The amnesty expires on 31 December 2016.
To qualify for the special permit, the applicant must have a valid passport or travel document, be registered on the Lesotho National Population Register and have police clearance from both Lesotho and South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
