Dalai Lama visa case taken to SA court

South African government has been dragged to court by two opposition parties, which lodged a legal challenge against its handling of a failed visa bid by the Dalai Lama to attend Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday.

South African government has been dragged to court by two opposition parties, which lodged a legal challenge against its handling of a failed visa bid by the Dalai Lama to attend Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday.

Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Congress of the People's Mosiuoa Lekota argued in the court papers that their Constitutional rights to associate and exchange religious views with the Dalai Lama were violated.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader cancelled his trip to South Africa after inordinate delays in issuing a visa to him, widely blamed on the government here not wanting to, offend the country's largest trading partner China, although this was denied by senior officials.