  Government Notices     DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS     NO. R. 5672   11 December 2024     NOTICE TO ALL LESOTHO EXEMPTION PERMIT HOLDERS     MINISTER S IMMIGRATION DIRECTIVE NO 17 OF 2024     RE  EXTENSION OF VALIDITY OF EXEMPTIONS GRANTED IN TERMS OF     SECTION 31(2)(b) OF THE IMMIGRATION ACT, 2002 (ACT NO. 13 OF 2002)       1.       I, Dr L. A. Schreiber, MP, Minister of Home Affairs, with the powers bestowed upon me in terms of section 31(2)(b) of the Immigration Act, ( Immigration Act ) have decided to extend the validity of the Lesotho Exemption Permits ( LEP ) until 28 November 2025 in order for me to fulfill the duty placed on me by the Gauteng High Court in the case of Helen Suzman Foundation and Others vs The Minister of Home Affairs and Others, to consult the affected LEP holders and all other stakeholders on the future of the current dispensation.       2.       The reactivation of the Immigration Advisory Board ( IAB ) is currently underway and its first task will be to consider, advise and enable the steps required for compliance with the Order of the High Court on the future of the LEP. In rder to give the IAB time to properly do its work, and a fair process to be followed, I direct that        2.1       existing LEPs shall be deemed to remain valid until 28 November 2025;       2.2       no holder of a LEP may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported in terms of the section 34 of the     Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate;       2.3       the holder of an exemption certificate may be allowed to enter into or depart from the Republic of South Africa in terms of section 9 of the Immigration Act, read together with the Immigration Regulations, 2014, provided that he or she complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure from the Republic, save for the reason of not having valid visa endorsed in his or her passport; and       2.4       no LEP holder should be required to produce a valid exemption certificate or an authorisation letter to remain in the Republic as contemplated in section 32(2) of the Immigration Act when making an application for extension of the exemption as contemplated in section 31 (2)(b) of the Immigration Act.       3.       Any enquiry related to the content of this Directive, should be directed to the Department s Contact Centre at      hacc@dha.qov.za     .     THUS DONE AND SIGNED AT PRETORIA ON THIS 09th DAY OF DECEMBER     2024.                                                         DR L. A. SCHREIBER, MP     MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS     DATE  09 DECEMBER 2024  

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Immigration Act (13/2002): Notice to All Lesotho Exemption Permit Holders: Minister’s Immigration Directive No. 17 of 2024: Extension of Validity of Exemptions Granted in Terms of Section 31 (2) (b) of the Act