Maseru, May 04 ____ The “Hands-Off” Basotho movement is expected to march to the Lesotho Embassy in South Africa on Monday morning to deliver a petition against the Lesotho Ambassador.

The march will start at the corner of Anderson Street and proceed to the premises of the Lesotho High Commission.

Founding President of the movement, Mr. Semenyane Linale, said the association is concerned about what he described as the silence of the embassy while Basotho nationals face harassment in South Africa.

Mr. Linale stated that Basotho living in South Africa continue to experience poor treatment and have been affected by ongoing xenophobic attacks, yet there has been no visible response from the embassy.

Political analysts have observed that the recent wave of xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants is placing strain on international and continental relations.

In recent weeks, there have been reports of attacks on foreign nationals in the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town, with some South Africans accusing migrants of taking their jobs.

Meanwhile, Botswana President, Mr. Duma Boko, has condemned the attacks, describing them as scapegoating. He argued that migrants are not the root cause of unemployment, but that such claims divert attention from deeper structural challenges.

Mr. Boko noted that unemployment is often linked to a skills gap among some local job seekers rather than the presence of foreign workers. He has advocated for better documentation of migrant workers and acknowledged that many migrants fill essential roles, particularly in construction and trade, which are often avoided by locals.

He further described anti-immigration sentiments as being driven by hate and governance failures, calling for a more humane and pro-African approach to regional migration.

The Namibian leadership has also indicated that it is closely monitoring the situation in South Africa, with a focus on ensuring the safety of its citizens.

Reports indicate that some Namibian transport operators have suspended trucking operations into South Africa to protect drivers and vehicles following incidents of violence.

In addition, Namibian diplomatic missions in South Africa have been issuing advisories and monitoring developments, with previous reports indicating that no Namibian citizens were affected during earlier incidents.