South Africa denies agreement on passport-free border crossing with Lesotho
Home affairs dismisses reports that identity documents alone will suffice for travel between the two countries.
South Africa denies agreement on passport-free border crossing with Lesotho
Home affairs dismisses reports that identity documents alone will suffice for travel between the two countries.
South Africa's Department of Home Affairs dismissed reports that citizens of Lesotho may now enter the country using only national identity documents, stating that no such agreement has been reached with the Kingdom of Lesotho345.
The department said allowing entry without a valid passport would contravene section 9 of the Immigration Act of 2002, which requires all persons entering or departing South Africa to possess a valid passport35. "No such agreement has been reached between the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho," the department said in a statement issued on Wednesday45.
The clarification followed a meeting in Cape Town last week between Lesotho's Minister of Home Affairs, Lebona Lephema, and South African Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber123. The ministers received a study report from a joint task team established to examine the development of a new migration model34. The Bi-National Commission between the two countries had directed the ministers to undertake the study35.
This was the first presentation of the study's outcome to the ministers, with various recommendations to be considered by the Bi-National Commission3. The department emphasised that any change to border crossing requirements would require a legislative process involving Parliament to amend existing immigration laws, and no such process is currently underway35.
"The status quo remains," the department said, adding that all Lesotho nationals and South African citizens must continue to use valid passports for border crossings5.
Earlier reports had suggested the two countries agreed to allow citizens to cross the border using identity documents, with children under 16 continuing to use passports12. Those reports also claimed Basotho barred from South Africa for overstaying would be granted amnesty and that the reforms were partly a response to Lesotho's passport crisis12.