A South African court has rejected an urgent application here on Thursday to grant a visa for the Dalai Lama to attend a conference in the country.

The Cape High Court dismissed the application by Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi to grant the Dalai Lama an entrance visa to attend a peace conference here in Johannesburg, since the conference has been cancelled, the South African Press Association reported.

Judge Rosheni Allie ruled that Buthelezi had failed to show the matter was sufficiently urgent to be brought to court, and he had also failed to show in court papers of another possible date that the Dalai Lama might come to South Africa.

There was also no proof of an urgent, ongoing need for the Dalai Lama to come to South Africa to attend to matters of peace on a general basis, she added.

The South African government has refused to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama, who was to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg on March 27, the South African Foreign Affairs Department announced on March 22.