. . . warns those in unlawful possession of state property to come forward.
Bongiwe Zihlangu/Moroke Sekoboto
THE government has established an 11-member task team to investigate and reclaim all state assets acquired fraudulently. This after the Sam Matekane-led coalition government had expressed concern that some individuals were in unlawful possession of state assets dating back to 1966 when Lesotho gained independence from Britain.
It is now all out to seize such assets and bring them back to government for the benefit of the public.
The team was established on 20 December 2022 but only started its work last week.
Unveiling the development during a press conference at the Government Secretary’s Boardroom on Friday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Limpho Tau, said the team would be all out to recover government assets that were in wrong hands.
“The team has hit the ground running and we’re leaving no stone unturned in our quest to recover government assets that were acquired unlawfully by individuals since independence in 1966,” Mr Tau said.
He did not name members of the team.
As part of this recovery, the team is targeting vacant and developed sites. It would also establish the number and state of residential government houses amidst concerns that the state inventory is in shambles.
Mr Tau was quick to warn those in possession or suspect that assets and property of government is in their hands, to do themselves a favour by approaching the task team for forfeiture while time was still on their side.
This would save them from having harsh legal measures being instituted against them, he cautioned.
Mr Tau further said the team would also seek to establish government’s heavy machinery like yellow plants that might have been acquired fraudulently for personal use.
It would also take stock of government owned vehicles and those on hire and establish how they were fuelled, maintained, and repaired.
The task force is comprised of officials from departments under the Prime Minister’s Office as well as the ministries of Finance and Development Planning, and Public Service, Labour and Employment.
Personnel from state agencies, the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) and the National Security Service (NSS) are also part of the team.
According to Mr Tau, the team would submit monthly progress reports to his office.
A final report would be released after six months and this is subject to extension should there be outstanding issues during the course of the team’s work.
He said the team would be expected to submit short-term monthly progress reports and a long-term six month progress report.
The government also expected the team to complete its work within a short period of time. If they are not done in six months, the government would extend the time because the country’s assets were instrumental in its economic growth, Mr Tau said.
“The team comprises representatives from the LDF, LMPS, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Employment.”
He said the team was set up following a December 2022 cabinet resolution.
“You will recall that on the 28th of October 2022 when Prime Minister Sam Matekane was inaugurated, he laid down a 20-point plan as a guide towards how his new administration would approach the governance issue,” Mr Tau said.
Speaking during his inauguration at Setsoto Stadium following his election victory in the 7 October 2022 elections, Mr Matekane announced the 20 point plan that he said was geared at fostering development in the country and fighting corruption.
The prime minister said his government would develop and implement a plan to cut down unnecessary government spending on fleet management and fuel consumption. This and other pledges would be achieved in his first 100 days in office.
Mr Matekane said that he would take stock of all government vehicles and rationalise them by providing a vehicle each to local authorities. This would enable them to conduct the business of government efficiently.
In 60 days he would identify all the areas of public financial wastage and come up with appropriate recommendations.
“It is against this background and in line with the instructions issued by the Prime Minister, that His Majesty’s government on the 20th December, 2022, gave my ministry the go-ahead to establish a task team intended to launch a search across the country and find, all government assets,” Mr Tau told the press briefing.
These included sites, both vacant and those that have been developed into residential houses, he said.
The team would also establish who the tenants were and whether they were occupying such sites legally or if they acquired them fraudulently.
It would further seek to investigate if there were any government houses being rented out and if so, when occupants moved in and whether rent is paid to government or not.
The government also wants information on its fleet including rented vehicles. Of particular interest is to establish whether those who use such were doing so lawfully.
In addition, the team would probe how state vehicles were fuelled, repaired, and maintained.
The third area of focus for the task team would be to audit the government’s yellow plants, the whereabouts of such machinery and its value.
Mr Tau said the team would be capacitated with all the resources they required to efficiently execute their mandate.
“I therefore appeal to the media and the public at large, to extend your support to this team by giving it tip-offs where you suspect state assets mentioned above are being used unlawfully or have been fraudulently acquired.”
It was only prudent, Mr Tau said, for the nation to support the team and assist it in reclaiming state assets. This would go a long way in rebuilding the economy and protecting Basotho’s taxes.
He said he was aware that the rumour mill had gone into overdrive on Thursday when the public got wind of the existence of the task team.
Listeners phoned in to different radio programmes with some suggesting that government was targeting certain individuals through the exercise. They did not mention any names.
“That could not be further from the truth. Government has no reason to target and chase anybody. It is only executing its primary mandate of protecting and reclaiming public assets, which were acquired using Basotho’s taxes, from those who stole them from their rightful beneficiaries; the public,” Mr Tau said.
Government would soon issue adverts to all media houses to inform and guide the public on how people could assist in the recovery of the aforementioned assets.
“We’ll give out information on how people can report on those believed to be in possession of state assets,” he said.
