Yearly Archives: 2024

–as police brand Malerato Khutlisi a “shebeen queen”  –while Khutlisi again implicates Holomo Molibeli in the theft scandal  Staff Reporter  THE alleged M40 million Tholo Energy theft scandal has taken a new twist, with the fuel company now being investigated by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) for allegedly stealing that same money from Letṧeng […]

The publisher of the Lesotho Tribune newspaper, Phafane Nkotsi, says he is now living in fear of his life and the safety of his family members after receiving threats of harm over his newspaper’s relentless reporting of alleged corruption at Lesotho’s multi billion rand public sector pension funds.  Mr Nkotsi said he had arrived at his office last week to […]

Mohloai Mpesi  NEWLY elected All Basotho Convention (ABC) secretary general, Thebe Mokoatle, is confident that the party’s newly elected executive committee (NEC) is fit for purpose and will catapult the party to victory at the next general elections in 2027.  According to Mr Mokoatle, the ABC’s elective indaba held at Leqele High School in Maseru almost a […]

as the Crown concedes that it lied to get the arrest warrant issued  Mothae had not been informed of court dates as originally claimed  Judge threatens to jail Mochoboroane instead for absence in court  Moorosi Tsiane  High Court judge, Justice Maliepollo Makhetha, has withdrawn a warrant of arrest she had issued against retired Colonel (Col) […]

Moorosi Tsiane  INCARCERATED double ritual murderer, Lehlohonolo Scott, will next week know whether he can appeal his 2020 conviction.  This after he pleaded with Justice Keketso Moahloli on Monday to force High Court and Court of Appeal Registrar, Advocate ‘Mathato Sekoai, to afford him a free lawyer to represent him in challenging his lifetime sentence in […]

the boarding schools enrol babies under five years of age  helping replace the practice of entrusting toddlers with nannies  enhancing early childhood development  Letsatsi Selikoe  There is a new trend in Lesotho’s education system captivating educators and parents alike.  It is the development of boarding schools for children under five years old.  In recent years, […]

… mourners eulogize renowned journalist as a loving man  Moroke Sekoboto  LOCAL radio station Tṧenolo FM’s late founder, Mohau Kobile, was as a passionate, patient, and persistent man who achieved all goals he set for himself.  This is according to former Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki, who added that Lesotho had lost a “principled and […]

Mohloai Mpesi  THE destruction visited upon Maseru Mall when a freak hailstorm wreaked havoc there a fortnight ago, was “an act of God” and “a disaster outside human control”.  This is according to Maseru Mall Centre Manager, Nkala Motlalane, in an interview with the Lesotho Times this week.     He spoke amid claims that the mall was […]

The ANC has marshalled all its ministers — presumably using government resources —  to start “aggressively communicating its success stories” through advertising in the next critical campaigning weeks ahead of the 29 May national elections. In a leaked recording of the national executive committee (NEC) meeting which took place last week, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa […]

Mathatisi Sebusi  TRADE unions are disgruntled that government continues to discriminate against women working in the textile and private security sectors when it comes to maternity leave payment.  Through a legal notice published last month, the government continues to afford women working in the textile and private security sectors 12-week maternity leave of which only six […]

…accuse some of operating illegal clinics  Moroke Sekoboto  THE Lesotho Nursing Council (LNC) has warned nurses who are operating illegal clinics that they are putting lives of innocent people at risk.  The LNC told the Lesotho Times it had learned that some nurses were illegally operating private clinics. It had thus since commenced nationwide inspections of privately owned clinics to verify their compliance with the law.  […]

—says one in three women have experienced GBV  …urges communities to be more involved in fighting the scourge  Letsatsi Selikoe  GENDER based violence (GBV) is a grim reality in Lesotho and a societal crisis as exemplified in harrowing statistics of violence against women and children.  So menacing is GBV that 60 percent of children have […]

…but it remains unclear when he’ll resume duties  Moorosi Tsiane  THE Labour Appeal Court has ordered the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to reinstate its Public Relations Manager, Tuoe Hantṧi, who was fired in August last year.  Justice Fumane Khabo this week nullified Mr Hantṧi’s dismissal, ruling that his disciplinary process had been flawed.  He ordered […]

Letsatsi Selikoe  AS the race for the election of the next Commonwealth secretary general gains momentum, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Lejone Mpotjoane, is stamping up for Lesotho’s ambitious candidate: Joshua Phoho Setipa.  Mr Setipa, a seasoned veteran of international organisations, is vying for the coveted post of secretary general (SG), bringing with […]

WITH just a week before Lesotho’s first ever mining indaba (Khotla) gets underway, Natural Resources Minister, Mohlomi Moleko, says the event’s primary purpose is to explore means and ways in which Lesotho’s mining sector can be expanded in pursuit of economic growth and job creation.  According to Mr Moleko, while the construction and textile industries […]

—as DCEO probes mining department officials for demanding bribes  Mohloai Mpesi/Letsatsi Selikoe  Natural Resources Minister, Mohlomi Moleko, says the country’s mining sector is enmeshed in corruption which he is struggling to control.  He says the rampant corruption in the mining sector puts the country at a disadvantage, threatening foreign direct investment (FDI) as investors are reluctant […]

…says party facelift critical for its survival  Mohloai Mpesi and Moroke Sekoboto  ALL Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Nkaku Kabi, says he is pinning his hopes on the party’s newly elected national executive committee (NEC) to revitalise the once mighty but now fallen behemoth.  He trusts that the new committee possesses the magic to help the […]

—lawyers seek to exclude evidence  Moorosi Tsiane  MEDICAL doctor, Mobashshar Hassan, who examined the three police officers accused of the March 2016 murder of Police Constable, Mokalekale Khetheng, has told the High Court that the trio were tortured after their 2017 arrest.  Dr Hassan, while being led in evidence by one of the defence lawyers, […]

Moorosi Tsiane  FORMER Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) chief executive officer, Mamarame Matela, has denied “stealing” the Authority’s gadgets, but instead accused her successor, Nizam Goolam, and Chief Regulatory Officer, Thato Ponya, of framing her for the theft.  Ms Matela said this through her lawyer, Advocate (Adv) Manthatisi Khesuoe, in a case in which the LCA is […]

…as govt secures only 30 percent of needed passports  Mathatisi Sebusi  THE Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police will only be able to secure 60 000 of the 200 000 passports needed by Basotho.  This was revealed before parliament’s portfolio cluster Committee on Law and Public Safety while it was grilling Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs […]

Mathatisi Sebusi  THE Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police has failed to effectively register and mark livestock due to officers bunking work.  It appears the government has been paying ghosts as no people reported for work to register the livestock despite being paid on a monthly basis for the past three years.  This […]

Staff Reporter  REVENUE Services Lesotho has embarked on a journey to develop and implement digital tax compliance solutions which will simplify and accelerate value added tax (VAT) collections and refunds to help achieve the country’s revenue and fiscal goals.  The project seeks to provide modern tools for VAT return filings, automating and speeding up the […]

as another Famo gangster, Qoqotho, is brutally murdered  Qoqotho had been charged for one of the most heinous murders to rock Lesotho  PM Matekane asked to broker peace among the Famo groups  Mohalenyane Phakela  TERENE ea Khosi Mokata leader, Tṧepiso “Mosotho” Radebe, has called on Prime Minister Sam Matekane to ensure the rooting out of national security […]

…as former GS Mphaka is disqualified for deputy leader’s position  …and Mr Mphaka challenges that decision in court  Moroke Sekoboto  THE former ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC) is entangled in fresh power struggles, just days before its weekend elective indaba.  The latest fight for power, which has been simmering for weeks, reached fever pitch this […]