…denies incompetence claims
…remains out of office despite court order
Mohloai Mpesi
Embattled Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) Commissioner-General, Advocate ‘Mathabo Mokoko, has categorically rejected allegations of poor performance that led to her dismissal last week.
Adv Mokoko was fired last Friday after allegedly failing to respond to a show-cause letter issued a few days earlier, on Tuesday giving her until 10 am on Friday to explain why she should not be dismissed for incompetence.
Instead of responding directly to the Board, chaired by Adv Lindiwe Sephomolo KC, as ordered Adv Mokoko had elected to file an urgent Labour Court application on Thursday seeking to interdict her dismissal. The Labour Court issued an interim order later that same day , temporarily halting the termination until her case is fully heard and decided.
Despite the pending application and interim court order, the Board proceeded to terminate her contract, citing her failure to make any representations.
The RSL Public Relations Manager, Tšepang Mcina, confirmed yesterday that Adv Mokoko remained out of office.
“’M’e ‘Mathabo has not returned to work. I am not going to be able to discuss these matters because they are still being worked on. Yes, there is a court order, but Mme ‘Mathabo has not returned to work. That’s the only thing I can say at this stage,” Ms Mcina said.
Among other allegations, the RSL Board accused Adv Mokoko of failing to act in good faith by bypassing established governance structures and engaging external authorities on work issues without the necessary authority. She was also accused of “bypassing the Financial and Audit Committee and the Board and writing to the Auditor-General, threatening judicial review on the audit opinion, thereby failing to respect the authority and oversight of the Board”.
The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) had in June this year audited the RSL 2024/25 financial statements.
The Lesotho Times established that the audit unearthed financial mismanagement, which Adv Mokoko disputed and wrote to Auditor General Mathabo Makenete, saying the RSL was considering challenging the report in court.
Adv Mokoko was issued a show-cause letter on 4 November 2025, followed by a termination letter on 7 November, largely mirroring the show-cause letter. The Board further accused her of operational incompetence, highlighting escalating unresolved refund claims and failure to manage reputational risk.
Failure to act in good faith
In her Labour Court papers, Adv Mokoko strongly denied allegations that she bypassed the board when lodging a grievance against the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, or failed to inform it as required by established governance protocols on reporting and accountability.
Adv Mokoko had reported before the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on the Economic Cluster that Dr Matlanyane, in no uncertain terms, demanded the names of taxpayers, timelines for claim of refunds, reports of tax clearances issued, and that she issue a debt-to-equity adjustment for the mining sector from 3:1 to 8:1, in early September.
She stated that she had made repeated attempts to seek the board’s intervention.
“It is incorrect to state that I bypassed the Board and lodged a grievance directly against the Minister without first engaging or informing the Board. This matter must be understood in light of the surrounding and prevailing circumstances. Prior to lodging the grievance, attempts were made to involve the Board within its established framework.
“Specifically, I appealed to the Board to ensure that the operational independence of the RSL is protected from interference by the Minister of Finance, and that any requests by the Minister related to refunds do not undermine governance protocols simply because it was argued that it was ‘not business as usual.’
“Outside of the Boardroom, during the August 2025 Board Retreat, the issue of Ministerial interference was identified as creating disharmony between myself and the Board. Yet, despite these efforts, the Board did not address the Ministerial overreach. Accordingly, the only sensible remedy available to me was to prepare the grievance letter, which is now alleged to have bypassed governance protocols.”
She denies allegations that she bypassed the board and wrote to the Auditor-General or threatened judicial review.
“It is incorrect to assert that I threatened judicial review.”
Operations concerns
Adv Mokoko also refuted claims that refund claims were left unpaid. The show-cause letter stated, “Audit findings indicate that refunds claimed but not paid continue to increase at an alarming rate, bringing businesses to their knees and raising serious concerns about failing to respect the authority and oversight of the Board”.
She responded that refunds were being released as verifications were completed in accordance with the VAT Act.
“As far as I am aware, refunds are being released as verifications are completed in accordance with the provisions of the VAT Act,” she said.
Failure to provide refunds reports
The Board also accused her of repeatedly refusing to provide refunds reports for onward transmission to the Minister of Finance and Development Planning. Adv Mokoko clarified that the only formal request for such a report was made during the Board meeting of 5 August 2025, where it was resolved that a quarterly report, including refunds, be prepared for the minister and submitted to the Board for review. The report was duly generated and submitted to the Board for onward submission.
Failure to manage reputational risk
The Board also accused Adv Mokoko of failing to manage reputational risk, citing “a sustained and growing number of complaints from the business community regarding RSL operations… The ongoing failure to respond to stakeholder grievances has significantly undermined public confidence in the RSL.” It further noted a “complete erosion of trust between the applicant and the Board, compromising governance and accountability.”
Adv Mokoko did not address this concern in her court papers. She expressed shock at receiving the show-cause letter from Adv Sephomolo, which she described as a complete violation of her contract, particularly as it was issued while she was away on approved official business.
Fallout with Dr Matlanyane
Adv Mokoko was appointed RSL Commissioner-General on 1 September 2023, with her contract set to expire on 31 August 2026. Her dismissal appears linked to long-standing differences with Dr Matlanyane.
She further states in the court papers that tensions emerged after she refused a request by Dr Matlanyane in November 2024 to exempt a Chinese investor from paying taxes.
“On or around November 2024 — the Minister requested that applicant to provide guidance in respect of exemption of both income taxes, customs duties and VAT with the intention of extending the same to one Chinese company which was allegedly going to be doing investment relating to renewable energy.
“Applicant informed her that at that time all the revenues laws would not permit such, and also that customs duties are provided under the SACU agreed tariff and that no country can change without agreement with others.
“The relations seemed to have been changing from there as from that moment the Minister started to engage the staff members of the RSL directly to pursue that assignment and that this did not succeed,” Adv Mokoko states in her court papers.
In January 2025, Dr Matlanyane reportedly called her angrily over delayed refund payments to the United States Embassy which had allegedly affected Lesotho’s negotiation for reduced US trade tariffs.
“Applicant provided the Minister with a report indicating that the refunds are duly paid, except for those rejected and which amongst others included duplicates. The report of US embassy refund indicated that RSL are already addressing the challenges with the Embassy for those administrative issues. Indeed this was resolved.
“During or around March 2025 the Minister called applicant angrily indicating that she should direct the retailers to exempt US people on purchasing VAT so that they can directly purchase tax free and they would want to offer that as part of negotiating the tariffs for Lesotho.”
However, Adv Mokoko said she told Dr Matlanyane that it required legislative change for that to happen, a response which allegedly angered Dr Matlanyane.
