…vows resilience amid levy and illicit trade pressures
…speaks on breathalysers donated to police
THE newly appointed Managing Director of Maluti Mountain Brewery (MMB), Mapeete Ntjana, steps into office carrying more than a new title — she carries history. She is the first Mosotho woman, and only the second Mosotho overall, to lead the brewery since its establishment in 1980.
An accountant by profession, Ms Ntjana is a Chartered Accountant trained at the Centre for Accounting Studies, holds an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science in South Africa, and an Executive Masters in Sports Organisations Management (MEMOS). Her experience spans planning and performance management, country finance leadership and regional oversight across several African markets, including eSwatini.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Lesotho Times Chief Reporter Moorosi Tsiane, Ms Ntjana speaks candidly about leadership in a male-dominated industry, the alcohol levy, retrenchments, the illicit trade in liquor products, dividends to government and MMB’s future.
The alcohol and tobacco levies — initially set at 15 percent for alcohol and 30 percent for tobacco — were revised to 7.5 percent and 15 percent respectively, effective 1 October 2023, by Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane. Still, alcohol and tobacco traders have remained aghast at their impact on their enterprises.
Excerpts
LT: What does leading MMB mean for you, especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry?
Ntjana: This appointment is both humbling and affirming. I am the first Mosotho woman and the second Mosotho to lead the company in the entirety of its operations since 1980. Personally, it is a moment of pride, but professionally it comes with a strong sense of responsibility to all stakeholders. I see it less as a personal milestone and more as a stewardship role entrusted to me.
I joined MMB in September 2019 as a planning and performance manager within the commercial division. I later served as country finance manager for Lesotho, and subsequently as finance manager for Ab InBev (MMB operators) for the rest of Africa. That meant overseeing Lesotho and several smaller countries, including eSwatini. Moving from local to regional roles gave me a broad, end-to-end view of the business. Today, I am comfortable with commercial execution, financial discipline and the relational complexity that has been invaluable in preparing me for this managing director role. I now understand the end-to-end business of Maluti Mountain Brewery.
Working in a predominantly male industry is not a challenge for me. I lead with clarity, fairness and accountability. I believe in listening carefully, making informed decisions, developing people and holding them to clear standards. These principles transcend gender. I have never experienced resistance because I am a woman, and I do not anticipate it now. Representation matters, but leadership must be based on capability and integrity.
LT: What are your immediate priorities?
Ntjana: My focus is on the fundamentals. When you master the basics, you can reach whatever heights you want. I am talking about operational efficiencies, cost control, brand profitability and execution excellence. Sustainable profitability comes from consistently mastering those basics.
I am fortunate to be joining an organisation with a solid foundation — a knowledgeable, committed and engaged workforce, and a business that has been performing profitably with strong market share. My priority is to keep teams engaged, protect profitability and ensure we remain competitive in a changing regulatory and economic environment. My vision is simple: to build a safe, proud and high-performing MMB that provides trusted, quality products, respects its people and ensures long-term competitiveness.
LT: How do you plan to keep MMB afloat and competitive?
Ntjana: Our strength lies in our brands, our heritage and our people. We enjoy deep consumer trust and strong operational capabilities. Our grandfathers drank Castle Lager, and people are still drinking it today — that shows brand strength.
My role is to sharpen execution: ensure brand profitability, disciplined cost management and consistent market excellence. Innovation remains important, but it must be purposeful. It can come through new brands, packaging changes — such as moving Maluti Premium Lager from a brown can to a green can — or new ways of working. We evaluate opportunities carefully to ensure they strengthen the core business and deliver long-term value.
LT: How are you going to keep the company sustainable?
Ntjana: Growth and sustainability must go hand in hand. We must be financially sound, socially responsible and resilient in a changing environment. Regulation and economic conditions are evolving, and we must adapt responsibly.
Despite the challenges, we have never operated at a loss. We remain a strong, resilient and sustainable business. Sustainability also means investing in people, maintaining environmental responsibility and ensuring we operate safely.
LT: Are there any responsible drinking campaigns within MMB to ensure you balance your commercial interests with better societal outcomes? And what is your response to allegations that alcohol testing breathalysers donated to the police affected sales, especially in districts like Mafeteng, leading to the closure of the Mafeteng depot?
Ntjana: Brewing is a regulated and responsible business. We are not looking to grow at all costs, but to grow responsibly. We support what the law prescribes — if it says do not drink and drive, that is exactly what we advocate. We do not support underage drinking or drinking and driving. We encourage consumers to use alternatives, such as hiring a cab if they plan to drink. We want consumers today, next week and next year — responsibly.
If someone drinks and drives and poses a risk to themselves and others, then we are not operating responsibly. That is the basis for our initiative of handing over breathalysers to the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.
It is not true that we closed the Mafeteng depot because of the introduction of breathalysers. We assessed long-term performance trends, from the COVID-19 period to date. The closures of Mohale’s Hoek, followed by Mafeteng, were due to prolonged underperformance, not the breathalyser programme.
LT: How has the introduction of the alcohol and tobacco levy affected the business?
Ntjana: The levy introduced in 2023 significantly changed the operating environment and reduced profit margins. We are not fighting the levy, but we are asking the government to review its practicality and effectiveness.
We want to be part of the solution by providing data and insights. If the levy is effective, we support it. If not, let us work together to refine it so it benefits Lesotho and Basotho.
LT: How many people have been retrenched since the introduction of the alcohol levy?
Ntjana: The impact has been significant. In 2019, when I joined, we had about 300 employees. Today we operate with around 194. These were difficult structural decisions influenced by long-term trends and the operating environment. We cannot definitively say there will be no further retrenchments, as every business is shaped by its environment. Our focus remains on operational efficiency and competitiveness to sustain the business.
LT: Have you declared dividends to the government?
Ntjana: Yes. MMB is one of the government’s most profitable investments. Despite declining profits since the levy’s introduction, we have consistently declared dividends year on year and have never operated at a loss. We are more than just a business — we are a national asset.
LT: Any plans to introduce new products?
Ntjana: Innovation is important, but it must be purposeful. It can come through new brands, packaging or improved processes. We will not introduce products for the sake of it. If our current strong brands continue to deliver value, they will sustain us. Any new product will be carefully evaluated to ensure long-term value.
According to regulations, products not produced locally may be imported. However, the five brands manufactured locally — Carling Black Label, Maluti Premium Lager, Castle Lager, Castle Milk Stout and Hansa Pilsner — should not be imported. We have sufficient manufacturing capacity in Lesotho to serve the market with these brands.
LT: How do you deal with the problem of illicit alcohol?
Ntjana: Price differences between Lesotho and South Africa create opportunities for illicit trading. When products are cheaper across the border, informal and illegal imports increase. The informal market is growing exponentially while the formal market is shrinking. Some traders evade taxes, and there are alcoholic beverages in the market with unclear origins. This significantly affects the formal sector. My appeal to the government is to support what we produce locally.
LT: Does MMB have community development programmes?
Ntjana: Yes, we run various Corporate Social Investment initiatives. We support agriculture projects, youth empowerment, training programmes in brewing, packaging and quality, and we assist customers with business tools such as vehicles to expand their operations. Our value chain has a strong multiplier effect, supporting employment in public bars and related businesses. Each year, we focus on different themes — agriculture, youth empowerment or other community priorities — ensuring diverse beneficiaries.
