Lesotho Nationals Repatriated From South Africa Hit Roadblock

Some Lesotho nationals just repatriated from South Africa over illegal stay, have hit another roadblock at home – They have been slammed with conditions that they are finding difficult to meet.

While many of them must have heaved a sigh of relief being assisted to return to their country, they were however arrested at the Maseru border and taken into custody.

A report from Public Eye, shows that the over 400 stranded Basotho factory workers had been arrested at the Maseru border gate, charged for flouting immigration laws.

They had gone to South Africa in search of better opportunities, before they were arrested and held at the Ladybrand jail failing to pay a fine of R1 500 slammed on them by the magistrate court in Ladybrand.

The charge against them, was residing and working illegally in South Africa.

However, upon the intervention of a good Samaritan who paid their fines, twenty were released following the intervention of an individual.

The matter is causing some ripples in town with many people seeing the unfolding matter as proof of government inability to defend its nationals.

Some are of the opinion that the government ought to have borne the cost of the fines, afterall, it was the unfavourable conditions at home that forced the nationals to migrate.

In addition to pressures exerted on its health sector by HIV-AIDS and the COVID-19, the African Development Bank (ADB) reports show that frequent droughts have rendered some 500,000 people food insecure.

This had forced down household purchasing power by 37% in 2019. water shortages and crop failures have left one-fifth of the population requiring emergency food assistance.

It is for these that the lot of the Lesotho nationals repatriated is being described as double jeopardy.

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Some facts you may not have known about Lesotho

1. Lesotho, formerly known as Basutoland is a landlocked country, totally surrounded by

South Africa.

2. Despite winning independence from Great Britain in 1966, Lesotho today is one of the remaining three monarchies in Africa.
3. By 2021 World Bank estimates, its population is 2.2, with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $1,091, and It has an area of over 30,000 km2 (11,600 sq mi).
4. Lesotho is reputed as the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) in elevation, while over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres (5,906 ft).
5. Statistics from the United Nations says Lesotho has the highest rape rate of any country (91.6 per 100,000 people rate for reported rape in 2008).

Picture courtesy of World Bank