Free Basotho Movement Gains Momentum, Wants Lesotho to Become SA’s 10th Province

• The Free Basotho Movement is demanding that Lesotho become South Africa's 10th province and that its people be incorporated into the country
• The movement has demanded referendums on the concept but the Lesotho government has not responded to their requests
• Initially, the movement had advocated for the fair treatment of Basotho nationals but now wants the country to become part of South Africa

MASERU - The Free Basotho Movement is marching on Lesotho's High Commission to demand that the borders between the country and South Africa be torn down.

They want freedom of movement between the two countries and the borders to be removed. The movement is essentially demanding that Lesotho becomes South Africa's tenth province.

Mphu Liphapang said that they as a movement have demanded referendums on numerous occasions but to date, they have not received any response.

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In addition to a referendum before the country's elections, the movement also wants Bashoto nationals to receive identity documents from the South African government according to the Daily Sun.

The movement was formed in 2009 and its early aims were to advocate for the rights of Basotho people in South Africa.

This has now changed into incorporating Lesotho in its entirety into South Africa according to SABC News.

Government to scour Robertson farms for illegal migrants after violent clashes

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the Employment and Labour department in the Western Cape will probe farms located in Robertson for alleged illegal foreign workers following violent clashes during the week.

According to information on the ground, Home Affairs officials and the South African Police Service (SAPS) met with farmworkers in the area to attempt to establish the validity of the allegations.

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The Western Cape Labour Department's chief inspector, David Esau, speaking on the sidelines of the engagements, said his unit aimed to develop cooperation between municipalities, local administrations and national government concerning the issue of immigration and job creation.

Xenophobic violence allegedly breaks out in Pietermaritzburg

Elsewhere, Briefly News recently reported that an alleged xenophobic outbreak in Pietermaritzburg's central business district forced several shops to shut down along the busy Church Street on Wednesday.

According to News24, police arrived at the scene to quell the unrest after one person was killed during an alleged criminal incident involving a foreign national and a taxi owner before further confrontations between an unknown group and informal traders believed to be migrants erupted.

Although the details were sketchy at the time, Briefly News understands the group, comprising men, gathered and began attacking a shop owner before the violence escalated, causing the death of at least one person.

Source: Briefly News