Diplomatic relations — Diplomatic protection — Appellants requesting diplomatic protection from Government of South Africa against Government of Lesotho — Whether State having obligation to provide diplomatic protection — Position under international law — Whether South Africa entitled to afford appellants diplomatic protection — Whether appellants having right to diplomatic protection under South African law — South African Constitution — Responsibility of executive for conducting foreign relations — Discretion of executive with respect to diplomatic relations — Principle of equal sovereignty of States — Policy considerations — Lesotho cancelling and revoking mining leases without payment of compensation — Whether international delict — Whether violating international minimum standards — Whether expropriation — Nationality requirement — Exhaustion of local remedies requirement — Whether claim admissible before international tribunal

Nationality — Diplomatic protection — Nationality requirement for international delict — Whether nationality rule disqualifying South African Government from affording diplomatic protection to appellants — Continuous nationality rule

Claims — Exhaustion of local remedies — Diplomatic protection — Exhaustion of local remedies rule for international delict — Whether exhaustion of local remedies rule disqualifying South African Government from affording diplomatic protection to appellants — Whether Lesotho courts rectifying wrongs

Relationship of international law and municipal law — Conduct of foreign relations — Whether justiciable in municipal court — The law of South Africa