Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Lesotho students studying in South Africa (SA) found themselves high and dry on Tuesday this week after being told that they cannot return to the country once they have crossed to South Africa.
The border official told them that only those going to the border will be allowed to cross while those commuting were told not to come back. This move is said to be in observance of the orange
colour coding stage that the country is currently under. One of the parents whose child has been affected by the announcement, ‘Masebeli Masia told Informative Newspaper that the
decision had dealt a blow for her child. The mother of a 10 years who attends at Ladybrand Primary School and commutes daily to school was told by the border officials
that the student should not return into the country. Masia said they were told to find a boarding accommodation for their children. The seemingly frustrated parent said she was
fortunate in that she has relatives in SA where her child will stay over. “The kid was frustrated,” she said adding that this move has not satisfied them and the students.
What compounds the situation, she said since Ladybrand does not have boarding schools there are people who are using their houses as boarding facilities and she fears that the health and hygiene of
their children stand to be compromised as those people “lack” proper skills to run the boarding facilities. Contacted for comment on what special dispensation
arrangement could be afforded to those students affected by the restricted travelling, the Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Motlalentoa Letsosa said his Ministry has got
a little room to manoeuver as they are only told what to do. He however mentioned that, the Cabinet may review the regulations as per the active Covid-19 regulations.
The Risk Communication Manager at National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) Phinithi Baroana told this publication that the move is envisaged to curb the cross-border infections.
He said the Secretariat had had an audience with the representatives of the parents whose children commutes on daily basis to the neighbouring country but they told them that NACOSEC remains firm in the
decision to arrest the spread of infections. On Monday this week South African government opened the bridges to allow more movement into that country as per the announcement of
that country, most of which are those used by the Lesotho travellers. Last year the students studying in SA borne the brunt of being stranded at the border when SA taxi drivers prevented their Lesotho school bus from crossing to SA.
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