Lesotho Raises Concern Over Repatriation Of 400 Citizens From South Africa

Lesotho on Monday raised concern over the forceful repatriation of 400 Basotho people from South Africa.

Lesotho accused South Africa of breaching the "free movement" arrangement between both countries. South Africa ordered 400 Lesotho nationals, working in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, to leave the country last week.

According to the Lesotho government, South Africa questioned the legality of the stay of these individuals in South Africa which forced it to repatriate them back to the country, News24 reported.

"Over 400 Basotho were transported to Lesotho by the government of Lesotho following an incident of being chased by the authorities there, in concern about their legality in South Africa," Lesotho's Prime Minister Limpho Tau's office said in a statement.

Lesotho called the incident "traumatizing" and said that an incident like this should not have happened because of the cordial relationship between the two nations.

Prime Minister Tau said that his government has reached out to South Africa to resolve the issue.

Some of the deported individuals said that the South African government has banned them from returning to the country for the next five years. Among the deported were people who were working on illegal permits and some who were overstaying their visas.

Caroline Mahosi, Lesotho's Disaster Management Authority acting chief executive, said that additional arrangements would be made for the Lesotho citizens who had not been able to reach the country on the first trip.