A complex mixture of labour-related, social, economic and family problems has, for generations, dogged Basotho mine workers who go to toil for a living in South African mines. Not only do they have to contend with the challenges that any migrant faces in the host country’s labour market, they sometimes end up enmeshed in serious […]
NELSON Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world. Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela emerged determined to use his prestige and charisma to bring down […]
Once again another incident has exposed the worrying lack of co-ordination and cohesion in cabinet. The arrest of fugitive Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) member, Thabang Phaila, after he skipped the country 15 years ago and subsequently returned hoping that the coalition government’s amnesty had secured his freedom, has exposed the increasing signs of discord within […]
It’s that time of the year when criminals become more vicious. Against this backdrop, the country’s four banks: Standard Lesotho Bank, First National Bank, Nedbank Lesotho and Lesotho Postbank held a joint press conference this week to warn the public to become more vigilant as we enter the festive season. The most brazen criminals at […]
The saga involving Lehlohonolo Scott now seems to be claiming more casualties than Moholobela Seetsa and Kamohelo Mohata whom he allegedly brutally murdered for ritual purposes. The latest and most worrisome casualty, it would appear, is the truth. Until about two weeks ago, the nation only remembered the last of the Scott saga being how […]
Even though it’s almost 18 months after the event, we still feel compelled to commend Pakalitha Mosisili’s steadfast statesmanship in ensuring a smooth hand-over of power as fully acknowledged by his successor Thomas Thabane. In his first comprehensive interview , published in this newspaper last week to review the work of the coalition government, Thabane […]
The principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty subsists in Timothy Thahane’s case as it does for everyone suspected of committing a crime. The extensive coverage of his case by various media should thus not be viewed as trial and conviction by the media. The decision to fire Thahane was the right one and […]
TAXI operators have always been seen as an uncouth lot that makes roads hazardous for other users and cares little about passengers. With so much recklessness and many accidents, including fatal ones, blamed on the public kombi drivers, it’s not easy to dismiss that notion as an unmerited stereotype. Yet the importance of the taxi […]
Coalition governments are by nature compromise marriages delicately meant to secure peace in otherwise polarised political environments. After the bloody 2007 electoral period, a coalition secured peace for Kenya. After another bloody 2008 poll closer home in Zimbabwe, foes in that country were forced to compromise and cobble an unhappy marriage which lasted about four […]
Gender-based violence continues to stubbornly rear its ugly head in our country, daily. Various media reports show this scourge is now increasingly threatening to compete with HIV and Aids as a national pandemic. The most tragic incident has been the cold-blooded murder of a 17-year-old girl in Mapoteng in the Berea District last week. We […]
THERE was some never-seen-before hype when the previous government touted the giant leap to ensure every Mosotho acquires an identity document. And surely earlier this year, with pomp and ceremony, our national ID project became a reality in our lifetime. That such an important project was marred by questions over the tender was thrashed out […]
The National University of Lesotho (NUL) has become a sore spot which refuses to heal in the body of the Basotho nation. That the varsity is in dire need of a makeover has been reported ad nauseam, but that fact alone is the problem. If a problem becomes all too familiar there is a danger […]
ELSEWHERE in this edition we carry the story of a ’Matlokotsi Makoa whose plight should jolt the government into action. Makoa suffers from chronic renal failure, a disease that is not only debilitating but also extremely expensive to treat. What makes her situation worse is that no hospital in Lesotho seem to have an immediate […]
As explained in our lead story, Machabeng College, which is regarded as the best school in Lesotho, is in crisis. The school has been rocked by massive resignations amid allegations of misappropriation of funds, racial tensions and pay squabbles. The school’s headmaster, Dr Bruce Gilbert, abruptly quit earlier this month as the school board that […]
THE Council on Higher Education (CHE) has done well to warn the public about illegal tertiary education institutions. It must however be doing more than just warn the public. Severe measures should be taken against institutions that have continued to operate illegally. This is particularly so because bare-born colleges have continued to operate despite warnings […]
The impeachment of Court of Appeal president Justice Michael Ramodibedi moved an inch closer after the government initiated proceedings against the apex court judge this week. Three South African judges have already been approached to deal with the case. They were expected to be sworn in by King Letsie III this week. The impeachment of […]
THE government has over the past few weeks tried to reach out to taxi operators who are demanding the removal of the minister and the principal secretary. Several taxi associations have wowed to embark on a national strike unless Public Works Minister Keketso Rantšo and her Principal Secretary Lebohang Phooko are fired. Rantšo and Phooko […]
PRIME Minister Pakalitha Mosisili must go beyond the rhetoric of electioneering and demonstrate that he is committed to the fight against rampant poverty. If his comments last Saturday are anything to go by then he has a big task ahead of him if he is to tame poverty that has stalked Basotho over the past […]
AFTER a successful conference over the weekend the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) has a chance to start on a clean slate. The former ruling party split after Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili left to form the Democratic Congress (DC) in February. The jury is still out on what damage the split has done to the […]
PRIME Minister Pakalitha Mosisili yesterday launched the Business Action Against Corruption (BAAC), a public-private Commonwealth initiative to fight corruption. He called on the media to “name and shame” corrupt officials and urged people to “seize” bribe-seeking civil servants “by the neck” and drag them to their supervisors. He also admitted that “corruption is rife and […]
A SADC delegation arrived in Lesotho this week in what the government said was a routine visit ahead of a general election expected in May. The visit came a few days after United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon described the political situation in Lesotho as “worrying”. Ban urged Sadc to assess the situation in Lesotho, […]
A SADC delegation arrived in Lesotho this week in what the government said was a routine visit ahead of a general election expected in May. The visit came a few days after United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon described the political situation in Lesotho as “worrying”. Ban urged Sadc to assess the situation in Lesotho, […]
PRIME Minister Pakalitha Mosisili this week finally dumped the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) to form the Democratic Congress (DC) party. He engineered the demise of a government he had led for the past 15 years. What remains of the LCD, a party he led to three electoral victories, will only be seen in the […]
THE decision to deport a Sri Lankan national who was in the middle of a labour dispute with controversial firm China Garment Manufacturers (CGM) made very depressing reading. Ranil Yapa was deported even though he was holding a High Court order blocking the deportation. We are not surprised that Yapa’s lawyer has now filed a […]
IN July last year this paper revealed that China Garments Manufacturer (CGM), Lesotho’s biggest textile firm, could have shipped millions out of this country by evading tax. The response from senior CGM officials at that time was a vehement denial assorted with attempts to blame “bitter workers” for leaking information to the media. The Central […]
Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili is a very lucky man after a plan to pass a vote-of-no-confidence in his government collapsed in dramatic circumstances yesterday. Mothetjoa Metsing, who the opposition wanted to anoint prime minister, bizarrely claimed he had not been approached before the motion was moved in parliament this week. Notwithstanding what happened yesterday, our […]
UNLESS something dramatic happens in the next few days to mend the rift between warring factions in the Lesotho Congress of Democracy (LCD) the party is most likely headed for a split. For the past two years the ruling party has been moving in slow-motion towards its demise. The warring factions have made sure of […]
This week we carry the tragic story of Thabo Sebapo, a 20-year-old man who died under controversial circumstances at China Garments Manufacturers (CGM) at Thetsane in December. Sebapo, who had been engaged on a part-time basis, died after he allegedly inhaled toxic paint while working in a water treatment tank at CGM, a controversial company […]
FINANCE Minister Timothy Thahane presented what we believe is a fairly balanced budget yesterday. Our only gripe with the 2012/13 budget is the three percent salary increase he gave to civil servants. We understand that Thahane is trying to do the best he can with the small purse he has. Our country’s problems are many […]
One ‘Ministry of Justice’ suffices
In one of his cabinet reshuffles after assuming the reins of power, Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, in his wisdom, created two ministries basically dealing with the same subject matter of Justice. The first is the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services under Mophato Monyake. The second is the Ministry of Law, Constitutional Affairs and Human […]