The Lesotho flag
29 June 2016
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has extended the deadline to apply for the Lesotho Special Permit from 30 June to 30 September 2016.
According to the department, as at 27 June close to 40,000 applications had been received for the permit.
There are an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 Lesotho nationals living and working in South Africa.
Groundup reported in May that very few Lesotho nationals in De Doorns had managed to successfully apply for the LSP.
Immigrant rights organisation PASSOP (People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty) welcomed the decision.
“The department has shown commitment to assisting African migrants living in the Republic of South Africa,” said Bernard Toyambi, PASSOP Director.
Owen Maromo of PASSOP who is assisting in De Doorns also welcomed the extension. He said an official from the Lesotho Department of Home Affairs would be in De Doorns soon to assist with birth registration and ID enrolment.
Most Lesotho nationals were notyet aware of the extension, he said. Others were also afraid of arrests during the amnesty process or were having difficulty with internet access for online registration.
Lesotho Special Permits are valid until 31 December 2019.