S. African court says Dalai Lama visa issue 'dead in the water'

Sierra Leone Times (ANI) Saturday 4th February, 2012

The Western Cape High Court has dismissed an application on the Dalai Lama's visa, claiming that it was too late to fix the past, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) said on Friday.

Judge Elizabeth Baartman dismissed with costs the application on whether it was constitutional for the government not to have granted a visa to the Dalai Lama last year, News24 reports

The IFP and the Congress of the People brought the application.

The Dalai Lama cancelled his intended trip to South Africa to attend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday on October 4, saying he had done so to avoid inconveniencing the South African government.

The government's failure to grant the visa sparked a public outcry with Tutu accusing President Jacob Zuma's administration of being "worse than the apartheid government".

The IFP and Cope subsequently filed an application in the High Court for an order declaring Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's handling of the matter unlawful and forcing her to treat future applications by the Dalai Lama fairly.

IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has invited the Dalai Lama to visit him in 2012. (ANI)