-
Pinetown Home Affairs offices.
The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed false reports circulating on social media and on some media platforms claiming that citizens of Lesotho can now enter South Africa without a passport.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the department says no agreement has been reached between South Africa and Lesotho to allow travel using only national identity documents.
Home Affairs says such a move would violate Section 9 of the Immigration Act, which requires all travellers to carry a valid passport when entering or leaving the country.
The clarification follows a meeting between the two countries’ Home Affairs Ministers in Cape Town last week, where a joint task team presented recommendations on a possible new migration model.
However, the department says any change would first require Parliament to amend immigration laws, and no such process is currently underway.
RELATED VIDEO: SIU exposes Home Affairs corruption scandal
Reporter: Musa Mhlongo
