Measures to improve movement between the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa – announced earlier this week by Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba – were welcomed as a boost to bilateral trade between the two countries as it eases the passage of business travellers.
Gigaba launched the Lesotho Special Dispensation to regularise the status of undocumented Basotho in South Africa and is expected to announce the commencement date and implementation after consultations with Lesotho’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
Gigaba noted that the implementation of a cross border movement control system – where passports will be scanned but not stamped – would further ease movement. This will be implemented during the last quarter of 2015.
“This arrangement will be based on the existing ICT systems and use of machine readable passports. It will address the concerns of regular travellers who are inconvenienced daily by border delays and passports filling up due to full stamping of passport requirements,” he said.
According to Gigaba, the governments also agreed to explore the feasibility of implementing a “trusted traveller system”, a secure, convenient and fast cross-border movement control system for frequent travellers.
“This will assist to facilitate legitimate cross border business, trade and travel,” he said.
