Vodacom head of legal Molemo Motseki and CEO of Letshego Yande Sikazwe Mothae
Bereng Mpaki
LETSHEGO Financial Services Lesotho (LFS) and mobile communications giant, Vodacom Lesotho this week inked a deal that will allow customers to use the former’s financial services to purchase smart mobile devices that support broadband access to the internet.
Speaking at the announcement of the deal, Vodacom Lesotho’s Executive Head of Legal and Regulatory Division, Molemo Motseki, said it was important that the public have access to the right smart devices that will give them internet access where they could receive life-changing knowledge.
“We all know that broadband services are an enabler to every sector of the economy and people cannot access those services unless they have the right devices in their hands,” Mr Motseki said.
“So we have partnered with Letshego to ensure that Basotho gain access to these devices. We have in the past done a number of interventions to ensure that devices are accessible in terms of cost, but we realise the need for people specialising in financing to ensure that good service is extended to Basotho.
“Every Mosotho can now go to Letshego and ultimately get the device needed to access the broadband internet services.”
Vodacom Lesotho Corporate Manger, Mpho Brown said his company “have a clear ambition to use technology and digital solutions to provide financial inclusion for Basotho”.
“With this partnership, we have put the power of technology in the hands of Basotho,” Mr Brown said.
For her part, Yande Sikazwe–Mothae, the Chief Executive Officer of Letshego, said the deal with Vodacom Lesotho was part of their solutions tailored towards ensuring financial inclusion for all Basotho.
“Basotho will now be able to finance their devices without having to strain their wallets.
“We know that the world is getting digital so we need to ensure that the people have the capability to live in that digital world.”
Molise Ramaili from LFS’s legal division said any client intending to use the facility would have to be assessed in terms of their financial status to ensure that they would not be overburdened when they buy smartphones.
“It is not about how much one earns, what is important for us to take the client through our vetting process to ensure that they qualify for this facility,” he told the Lesotho Times.
Headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana, the Letshego Holdings Limited (LHL) group was incorporated in 1998 and has been publicly listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange since 2002.
The group operates in 10 countries in southern, east and West Africa with its subsidiaries providing consumer lending, micro finance and deposit-taking solutions.
Letshego Lesotho started its operations in September 2012 as a credit only licensed financial service provider. It has five branches in the country, namely in Maseru, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng and Quthing.
