By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU — Two people died while one was seriously injured when two neighbouring factories, KHY Plastics and Dragon Pak, were gutted by fire yesterday morning. The deceased are a 60-year-old Chinese male and a 27-year-old Mosotho man who worked for Dragon Pak, while the injured man, a Chinese national, is the manager […]
By Limpho Sello MASERU –– The Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital Operations Director, Dr Karen Prins, has received death threats from an unidentified individual who accuses her of unfairly dismissing employees, among a host of other allegations. The threats have come via an extremely, poorly written electronic mail dated April 28 2014, from one Kambasu Israel […]
By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU –– The police have launched an inquiry into the shooting of seven Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (Tšepong) employees during a violent strike which erupted at the Botšabelo-based health facility yesterday morning. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Masupha Masupha told a press conference held at Police Headquarters that soon after the […]
By Tsitsi Matope MASERU — The Lesotho Meteorological Services has projected an “abnormally cold” winter this year, which is also expected to be unusually long and rainy. The Lesotho Times (LT) this week met with the Lesotho Meteorological Services Principal Meteorologist, Ms Mathabo Mahahabisa, who not only gave the chilling prediction but also spoke about […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The Lerotholi Polytechnic Rector, Mr Tsietsi Lebakae, was suspended this week after it emerged the government-owned tertiary institution owed M13 million in tax. The college decided to suspend Mr Lebakae after receiving a letter from the Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) indicating the institution, popularly known as Fokothi, had not been […]
By Tefo Tefo MASERU — Acting Chief Justice Tšeliso Monaphathi on Tuesday ordered the arrest of former Likhetlane Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Libe Moremoholo, for contempt of court. The High Court in March ordered Mr Moremoholo to vacate his Khubetsoana residence after failing to settle a M308 966.08 home-loan he has with Standard […]
Thabane terminates Ramafole’s contract as government secretary with immediate effect By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU- Prime Minister Thomas Thabane yesterday fired Government Secretary Motlatsi Ramafole. According to the brief dismissal letter, a copy of which is in the possession of the Lesotho Times, Ramafole, 52, will be paid three months’ salary and his full terminal […]
By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU- Suspended Court of Appeal President Justice Michael Ramodibedi has resigned, ending his turbulent stay at the helm of Lesotho’s judiciary. An authoritative source told the Lesotho Times that Ramodibedi, who early this month lost a court bid to stop impeachment proceedings against him instituted by Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, reportedly submitted […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Commander Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli and Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Commissioner Khothatso Tšooana yesterday appeared before the Security Committee over alleged hostilities between the army and police. Yesterday’s meeting, which was confirmed by government spokesperson and communications minister Selibe Mochoboroane, came amid a standoff […]
By Tsitsi Matope MASERU —Two senior procurement officers working in the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture were suspended this week over suspected irregularities in the purchase of goods and services. According to a senior employee in the ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Tuesday’s suspension of the officers followed an internal audit called […]
By Limpho Sello Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital workers will embark on an indefinite strike on Monday next week after wage-negotiations deadlocked and relations with management soured over a number of issues. More than half of the hospital’s 840 workers are set to picket the state-of-the-art referral hospital on Monday, according to the Lesotho Workers Association […]
By Limpho Sello MASERU — A total of 121 Basotho were deported from South Africa over the Easter holidays due to lack of relevant documentation. According to the Maseru Immigration Services manager, Mantšebo Motšoanakabe, the deportees were held at the Lindela Detention Centre in Gauteng province, before their dispatch to the Maseru Bridge Border Post. […]
By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU –– Over 140 employees at Crabtree factory this week downed tools demanding a 30 percent salary increase. The factory, which started operating in Lesotho in 2007, produces electrical products such as sockets, switches and other allied goods. Angry employees on Tuesday sang and danced outside the factory, vowing to only return […]
. . Police summon eight soldiers over bombings By Billy Ntaote and Keiso Mohloboli MASERU –– The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) has summoned eight Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) soldiers to appear before the office of the Commissioner of Police as part of investigations into the bombings of three Maseru homes on 27 […]
…as suspended finance PS fights for bail By Tefo Tefo MASERU — Suspended finance principal secretary Mosito Khethisa on Tuesday appeared before the Maseru Magistrate’s Court charged with defrauding the government of over M6 million. Khethisa’s charges revolve around a contract he allegedly awarded to Civa Innovations in 2010 for the establishment of a […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — The Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO) could be forced to write-off loans advanced to small businesses affected by the 1998 political riots. The parastatal — which falls under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing and is mandated with helping establish, as well as promoting Basotho-owned businesses — […]
By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU –– The police are investigating the alleged abuse of a 15-month-old child at a nursery (name withheld) located in the Thetsane area. A parent who said she caught the woman “red-handed” on Monday allegedly abusing the child, told the Lesotho Times how she found the boy strapped to the bed, his […]
By Tsitsi Matope MASERU — Two thieves reportedly broke into the home of a police constable in Ha-Mokotsoane to steal his cap for ritual purposes. Officer Commanding Lithoteng Police, Senior Inspector Chadwick Sehloho, yesterday told the Lesotho Times the criminals, aged 27 and 17, were desperate for the police emblem after consulting a traditional healer, […]
By Limpho Sello THABA-BOSIU — The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with its partners, has completed the primary healthcare data collection and analysis, an exercise which is going to help identify challenges affecting primary healthcare service delivery in the country. This follows last year’s call by Prime Minister Thomas Thabane who urged the ministry to […]
. . . Ritual murder suspect appears in SA court By Billy Ntaote MASERU –– Lesotho’s most wanted suspect Lehlohonolo Scott was finally arrested at the weekend by the South African police — almost two years after his dramatic escape from the Maseru Central Prison. The double ritual murder suspect was arrested in Durban’s […]
By Ntsebeng Motsoeli MASERU — The Minister of Public Service, Motloheloa Phooko, has said preliminary findings of a public service headcount conducted last December have already revealed some irregularities in the government payroll. The ministry piloted the evaluation in the ministries of Health, Education and Local Government to find out the exact number of civil […]
. . . forced to abandon US trip after receiving suspension letter through email By Keiso Mohloboli MASERU — The Ministry of Finance Principal Secretary Mosito Khethisa (pictured) was suspended this week, forcing him to cut short his official trip to the United States of America. Khethisa was attending a meeting in Washington DC […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Lengolo Monyake has come out in defence of his son — former Justice and Correctional Services minister Mophato Monyake — after allegations the Stadium Area legislator was seeking political asylum in South Africa. In a wide-ranging interview at his Maseru home this week, Monyake told the Lesotho Times his son, […]
. . . ABC MPs Monyake and Litšiba speak out By Billy Ntaote MASERU — Two All Basotho Convention (ABC) Members of Parliament (MP), Mophato Monyake and Thabiso Litšiba, fled to South Africa late last month after receiving death threats. In separate interviews with the Lesotho Times from their South African hideouts, the legislators […]
By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU — The police are still looking for a man who allegedly shot two people dead and seriously injured three others in Mapoteng on Wednesday last week. According to police spokesperson Senior Inspector Lebona Mohloboli, the suspect fled the scene after the shocking shooting spree, whose motive remains unknown. “So far, our […]
By Billy Ntaote MASERU —The ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) lost 168 members to the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC) at the weekend. The defections took place at a DC rally held in Taung, which is the home constituency of the recently-expelled LCD secretary-general, Keketso Rantšo. Rantšo holds a Proportional Representation seat in parliament […]
JOHANNESBURG –– South Africa’s biggest private hospital group, Netcare, on Monday defended its flagship public-private partnership in Lesotho, after a damning Oxfam report said the project was costing so much more than expected that it threatened to blow the country’s health budget. Netcare holds 40% of the Tšepong consortium, which won an M800 million tender […]
. . . accused of failing to warn premier of no-confidence motion By Bongiwe Zihlangu MASERU –– Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has fired his Political and Economic Advisor Sekhonyana Bereng. According to sources who spoke to the Lesotho Times this week, Bereng’s contract was terminated through a letter dated March 31 and signed by government […]
By Mohalenyane Phakela MASERU — Lesotho High School students protested outside the institution yesterday morning soon after two of their classmates were hit by cars at the school entrance. The protesting learners temporarily barricaded the road outside the school with stones and rubbish, making it virtually impassable for vehicles. The students, together with their teachers, […]
By ‘Mantoetse Maama MASERU — A lecturer at the Lesotho College of Education (LCE) has accused her colleague of severely assaulting her on Friday last week. The lecturer, Dr ‘Makeletso Ntaote, has since reported the alleged assault to the police, which she says took place in full view of students and other members of staff. […]
