By Sonica Naudé-Steyn

Lesotho and South Africa are currently in talks to reform current migration models to strengthen cooperation between the two countries with one of the key proposals to use National Identity Cards as official travel documents instead of passports.
This after an engagement in Cape Town between Lesotho’s Minister of Home Affairs, Local Government, Chieftainship and Police, Lebona Lephema and his South African counterpart, Leon Schreiber. The proposal would allow both Basotho and South Africans to cross borders without passports. The initiative is aimed at reducing barriers to movement and improving convenience for citizens who frequently travel between the two countries. Children younger than sixteen who do not yet qualify for ID’s would still have to use passports.
The new model includes proposals for electronic gates where travellers could merely scan their ID card to be allowed passage through the border post.
It has also been proposed to grant amnesty to Basotho people who have ‘overstayed their welcome’ in South Africa by registering with the Lesotho immigration authorities. However, only those who have not committed a crime would be eligible for the amnesty.
At this stage the reformed model remains a proposal and no official agreements have been made. Further discussions are set to take place at the Bi-National Commission (BNC) meeting later this year.