Despite high-level talks, Basotho denied healthcare in SA

LINEO MALATALIANA

MASERU – A crucial meeting between Lesotho and South African health ministers has failed to halt the rampant denial of healthcare to Basotho nationals in South Africa, with reports of xenophobic sent-aways continuing unabated.

This is despite last week’s high-level talks in Pretoria, South Africa, which were convened specifically to address the pressing issue and protect Basotho from the anti-foreigner campaign, Operation Dudula.

Lerato Nkhetše, Executive Director of the Migrants Workers Association (MWA), confirmed this week that Basotho are still being routinely turned away from clinics and hospitals.

“We were happy when the Heads of Ministry of Health… met, with the anticipation that it would bring a solution. This has not been the case,” Nkhetše stated.

He shared first-hand accounts from Basotho on the ground, including incidents where individuals were sent away from health centres by Operation Dudula activists as recently as last Friday.

The association highlights that women are disproportionately affected. As the majority of Basotho migrants in South Africa and more frequent users of medical services, they are particularly vulnerable to these xenophobic denials.

An estimated 640 000 Basotho live in South Africa, many of whom are reportedly unable to access the health rights guaranteed to foreign nationals by the South African Constitution and Refugee Act.

The Migrant Workers Association has condemned these actions as a severe violation of human rights and international law. In a statement, they argued that denying healthcare “not only inflicts harm on individuals but also undermines the core principles of human dignity and equality.”

Social media is rife with documented evidence of Basotho being removed from medical facilities and blatantly refused service for failing to produce a South African ID card.

Nkhetše proposed a practical solution: South African authorities should designate specific facilities for Basotho patients. This, he said, would save them the time and money spent traveling back to Lesotho for care, ensuring they don’t default on their treatment routines.

The issue has reached the highest levels of the Lesotho government. Minister of Communication, Nthati Moorosi, recently confirmed that the cabinet has instructed the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health to engage with their South African counterparts.

“Our plea is simple,” Moorosi was quoted saying. “If you give Basotho citizens permission to be in South Africa lawfully, then you must also allow them access to essential services like healthcare. Otherwise, what message are we sending?”

She confirmed the government has seen videos of non-citizens being forcibly removed from clinics, placing Basotho in a “very difficult situation.”

While the health ministers’ meeting did yield an agreement on one issue – easing the transport of cannabis products from Lesotho into South Africa via land ports – the primary crisis remains unresolved.

South African Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, cited challenges of unemployment and the strain on the health system from foreign nationals. In response, health minister, Selibe Mochoboroane, suggested that other countries must find ways to create employment to lessen the burden on South Africa.

Ultimately, both ministers agreed that Basotho would continue to be afforded healthcare in South Africa while the two nations work to formulate a permanent solution. For now, however, that promise rings hollow for those being turned away at the clinic door.