Lesotho Special Permit applicants who have not yet collected their permits will not be allowed back in South Africa from the 1st January, 2018. Those who have slips and are awaiting the actual permits are requested to collect them at the Lesotho High Commission.
Lesotho nationals working, studying or running businesses in The Republic of South Africa and have been in the country in such capacity before 30th September, 2015 have been granted a special permit dispensation.
More than a hundred thousand eligible applications have already been processed but thousands of the approved permits have not been collected from various offices nationally.
South African High Commission has issued a warning that as of the 1st of January, 2018, applicants who are not in possession of a valid LSP, face deportation.
The South African delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Fatima Chohogan and her Lesotho counterparts met in Maseru recently, to discuss bilateral relations and the possibility of the LSP Deadline extension.
“There is no final decision that has been made yet on this because the minister has to take it back to the cabinet of South Africa and we are expecting them to come back to us on that issue. But we have just indicated that we need an extension to give an opportunity to those who failed to meet the deadlines to submit applications. She told us she came here to listen to our issues and take them back to cabinet and that is a formal way of doing things,” said Tsukutlane Au – Lesotho Minister of Home Affairs.
The system is also meant to pave way for ease of movement between the two countries by prioritising frequent travelers between the two countries.
Those who need to collect their permits may also approach Lesotho High Commission from the 2nd of February, 2018.
