Botha-Bothe, June 29 – As South Africa approaches the planned march against undocumented immigrants, large numbers of people were seen outside the Botha-Bothe passport office on Monday seeking to apply for, collect, or check the status of their passports.
One undocumented migrant, Ms. Lisebo Pali, told the Lesotho News Agency that she has been working in South Africa for the past two years without a passport.
She said she has been entering and leaving South Africa through porous borders and works as a housekeeper in Soweto.
“Getting a job in South Africa has been easy because we only show our employers our National Identification cards to confirm our names and then we get the job. Now that we have heard about this march against undocumented immigrants, I told my employer that I needed to return home and obtain a passport.
“Many of us who do not have documents decided to come home so that we can get passports and return to work. We cannot stay here because we need money to support our families,” she said.
Another passport applicant, Mr. Motlalepuoa Masokotso, said he works as a contractor in South Africa and decided to return home after realising that undocumented workers could face difficulties after June 30.
“I arrived last night and decided that today I would apply for a passport. Yes, the queue is very long, but I am hopeful that I will at least submit my application and wait for my passport.
“We are pleading with the government to prioritise the processing of our passports so that we can return to work. We cannot say we will remain in the country and look for jobs because we have tried over the years without success and eventually sought employment in South Africa,” he said.
He further said that it was time for the governments of Lesotho and South Africa to discuss arrangements that would allow Basotho to work freely in South Africa without fear of deportation or arrest.
“Once I get my passport, I will return to South Africa to continue working and supporting my children,” he said.
Another applicant, 26-year-old Ms. Mpho Selai, said she had requested a two-week leave from her employer to enable her to apply for a passport.
“If I do not get my passport within these two weeks, I am sure my employer will be forced to find someone else. I could lose my job if I fail to get a passport in time,” she said.
Following the anticipated unrest facing undocumented immigrants in South Africa, the Government of Lesotho has dispatched buses to collect Basotho from various hotspots in South Africa. Reports indicate that some of the buses have already arrived in the country through the Maputsoe border post.
