Mohalenyane Phakela
TO many, the pseudonym Mosotho rings terror. But for others, among the communities of Liphakoeng in Leribe, the name evokes smiles. It represents a true “Messiah”.
Mosotho leads the Famo gang called, Terene ea Khosi Mokata, which has been infamous for numerous murders over the years.
However, Mosotho says his group has since reformed itself and wants to live harmoniously with other people. It yearns for a peaceful Lesotho, mostly with other rival Famo groups.
The Famo gangs have been blamed for most of the murders that have catapulted Lesotho into the sixth most homicidal nation in the world as per the World Population Review.
This past chilly Sunday noon, a 35-year-old Mosotho man stood outside his compound in Liphakoeng, Ha Makoae.
He was clad in a black sweater, blue track-pants and blue gumboots and a cap. He quickly folds his sumptuous Samsung Z Flip mobile phone and pockets it, removes his cap and stretches out his hand to greet the Lesotho Times news crew which had visited him for an exclusive interview.
Removal of a cap/hat when greeting other people is a sign of respect in Sesotho culture.
“Ke Tṧepiso Radebe, ea tummeng ka lebitso la Mosotho oa lekhotla la Terene ea Khosi Mokata (loosely translated “I am Tṧepiso Radebe, better known as Mosotho of the Terene ea Khosi Mokata fame”),” he said.
After exchanging pleasantries, he ushered the Lesotho Times team to his business complex about 100 metres from the main compound.
In between the compound and the complex are horse stables where about three race horses are grazing, and empty sheep and cattle kraals as the occupants had been taken to the veld to graze. Several breeds of dogs lie on different parts of the yard, while several vehicles, tractors and horse vans are parked.
Inside the lime painted shopping complex called the Student Palace, there are two pool tables under a shelter, a grocery store, a restaurant and a club with a private bar. He leads the team into the private bar where elegant couches, a big sound system and plasma screens are mounted.
At Ha Kotola along the Main North 1 Road passing through to Butha-Buthe, a fine gravel route breaks into the Liphakoeng village up to Pobeng village, passing adjacent to the Student Palace.
“I build this route in order to ease vehicles movement in this area. The plan is to develop Liphakoeng so that this community can be able to make a living for themselves,” he said.
“I do a lot of things. As you can see, I am from the fields where we are planting cabbage in about 20 fields, estimated at 10 hectares each. I am going back there after this meeting. We plough all year round, from maize, potatoes and watermelons among others. I wish it was a relaxed day so I could show you what we are doing, but it’s a bit far from here. I work with so many people, I cannot give you the exact number because I do not have my (employee) register with me.
“Well, I do not want to sing my own praises. What I want is the betterment of this community and Lesotho at large.”
Mosotho grew up in Lefikeng, still in the Liphakoeng area, raised by his grandmother Mapoloko Malora, then his aunt Mamphong Makhasane.
He went to Ha Makhoro Primary School and also served as an alter boy in the local church. He then moved to South Africa in a year he says he cannot remember, to do his high school in Soweto, Johannesburg.
He spent most of his life in South Africa as a member of the Terene ea Khosi Mokata gang until he eventually became its leader, he decided to move back to Lesotho in 2022, and that was when he started developing the Liphakoeng area.
Besides farming and running the retail outlets in Liphakoeng, Mosotho also participates in horse racing contests locally and in South Africa.
When he moves around the community, one can easily mistake him for the area chief due to the respect he receives from the people.
He portrays a very humble character, even when addressing his employees.
He told this publication that Terene ea Khosi Mokata had turned over a new leaf.
“We became popular as Famo groups, infamous for killing each other. However, we have since moved from that. We are trying to build a movement of entrepreneurs who will create jobs for Basotho or teach others how to fish.
“Terene ea Khosi Mokata currently has committees for community or business development. We have farmers groups where we equip each other with farming skills.
Mosotho is not good at blowing his own horn. However, his footprints can easily be seen in Liphakoeng.
The Liphakoeng councillor, Kabelo Lefosa, could not mince his words when he spoke about this community’s “good Samaritan”.
“We could hardly call this a village before Ntate Mosotho came through. All these big houses you see in this village belong to his employees and people from his movement. He brought a huge change.
“He employs so many members of the community and has brought services closer to the people. As you can see, we now have a shop where we can do our groceries which we used to get very far near the tar road. He has also erected boreholes for the communities to access water.
“We have a clinic down the valley, so when they have a critical patient who needs to be referred to Motebang Hospital, they call him and he provides transport. Vulnerable people also rely on him for groceries and he also helps them bury their loved ones. He helps school children with their needs, maintain school buildings, the church as well.
“We also had a problem of livestock theft, but that is slowly dying down. He would be in the forefront when searching for livestock which would have been stolen from this area. Just recently, they fetched cows from Ficksburg (South Africa) which had been stolen here.”
The men who were gathered at the store premises could only echo the councillor’s sentiments as they enjoyed their cold beverages whilst playing snooker.
Instead of engaging in violence, Mosotho thus believes the Famo groups and their members – designated by the National Security Service (NSS) as domestic “terrorists” over their proclivities towards crime – can transform into proper civic groups to spearhead local development in their communities.
For that to happen he advocates the recognition and registration of the Famo groups under the Societies Act and promulgation of regulations to govern their activities.
For many Basotho however, the word Famo still represents organised crime syndicates. Its mere mention sends the cold shivers down many a spine.
