By Charmaine Ndlela
Lesotho and South Africa are discussing a border reform package that could eventually allow citizens to cross using national identity documents instead of passports.
For now, travellers are still required to present valid passports or travel documents at the border.
The agreement was announced by Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, and Lesotho’s Minister of Home Affairs, Lebona Lephema, following bilateral talks held in Cape Town this week.
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Under the proposed changes, Basotho and South African citizens will be able to travel between the two countries using national ID cards instead of passports.
Children under the age of 16, who do not qualify for national IDs, will continue to use passports.
The planned reforms form part of a new migration model that includes the introduction of a One Stop Border Post and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system to streamline entry and exit processes.
The One Stop Border Post will allow travellers to be processed by both countries at a single point, reducing congestion and delays, while the ETA system is expected to improve pre-screening and border management.
A joint technical team from both countries has been established to explore the feasibility and implementation of the system, including the rollout of electronic gates to speed up identification.
No official implementation date has been announced.
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The proposed changes also include an amnesty process for Basotho nationals who were previously declared undesirable in South Africa due to overstaying.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, affected individuals will be eligible for amnesty provided they register with Lesotho’s immigration authorities for verification.
“We want these processes to begin on a clean slate,” said Puleng Mbangamthi, Director of Legal Affairs at Home Affairs.
“These are individuals who overstayed only, not those who committed crimes. Their details will be verified with South Africa before they are cleared.”
