By Kefiloe Kajane
The government of Lesotho will disburse aid to 1800 Basotho stranded in neighbouring South Africa, who have been found to be in need of urgent intervention.
With nearly half a million confirmed Covid-19 cases, South Africa has the highest occurrence of the virus in Africa.
This intervention comes after the government had earlier announced that Basotho living in South Africa will receive assistance to help them through the trying times triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to a statement issued by the government this week, a total of 12 000 Basotho were located and earmarked for possible assistance but, after investigating, 1 800 were found to be in a dire situation which required immediate intervention. The figure is likely to increase.
With government having set aside M4million for this purpose, it has arranged with a South African multinational chain store, for the recipients to access the aid – which is in the form of food parcels – at the company’s selected supermarkets.
The beneficiaries will be required to produce their Lesotho identification documents as proof of their eligibility.
The identification of Basotho living in acute conditions in South Africa was done by the ministry of home affairs, ministry of foreign affairs, Lesotho’s High Commission in South Africa and the ministry of social development which is tasked with assisting people in need.
The statement added that textile workers are among the people who are so far receiving aid under the Covid19 Relief Fund. This aid is in the form of M800 monthly wage subsidies.
Meanwhile, wave after wave of Basotho continue to cross into the country from South Africa. With over 400 000 having been confirmed to have returned home since March this year, Lesotho has officially recorded over 600 Covid19 cases.
