‘RFP a cult, not a political party’ – Letlailana 

Mohloai Mpesi 

THE ruling REVOLUTION for Prosperity (RFP) is a “directionless” political party and nothing short of a cult revolving around its leader, Prime Minister Sam Matekane.  If Mr Matekane were to die today or was for some reason unable to continue with politics, the RFP would just collapse due to its shaky foundation and disdain for democracy. This is according to Lithoteng constituency legislator, Rethabile Letlailana. 

But the RFP has hit back at Mr Letlailana, branding him a crass opportunist who rode the party’s popularity wave to get into parliament only to betray it when it suited him.   

Last week Friday, Mr Letlailana ditched the RFP in parliament, and together with his fellow RFP colleague, Malimong constituency lawmaker, Lephoi Makara, crossed the floor to the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC). 

According to Mr Letlailana who contested and won the Lithoteng constituency under the RFP’s banner at the October 2022 general elections, the RFP is not a political party but a “cult” which prohibited freedom of speech for its rank and file. 

“It (RFP) is a cult of some sort. Cults don’t have frameworks that guide them. They only follow the leader… And if the leader dies, the cult goes with him…” Mr Letlailana said. 

“The problem with political cults is that if that guy you are following has problems and is unable to continue with leadership, that thing ends there. That is not the kind of leadership to embrace in this day, and age. 

“RFP is a horrible organisation.  It doesn’t come close to a political party. When a political party undermines democracy, there is no way such a party can run a democratic government.” 

He accused the RFP of doing the exact opposite of what it had promised.  Instead of appointing people on merit, it was recruiting its cadres into government positions. 

“The government is doing the opposite of what it promised to do…. The cabinet continues to corrupt RFP MPs by asking them to select people from their constituencies for employment in different ministries,” Mr Letlailana said. 

Mr Letlailana further took a swipe at Mr Matekane’s government for outlawing blanketed famo music gangs. 

“You don’t just wipe out a whole music genre like that because you are trying to solve the high rate of killings…?” he said. 

Contacted for comment this week, RFP deputy spokesperson, Thabo Maretlane, dismissed Mr Letlailana as a rogue, who had failed to embrace Mr Matekane’s progressive vision from the onset “hence his failed endeavour to topple the government”.   

“Ntate Letlailana has always had intentions to overthrow us. He never had good intentions to work with Ntate Matekane and the RFP…He always harboured negative intentions… It’s good that he has left the party,” said Mr Maretlane who is the RFP’s Thaba-Phatšoa lawmaker. 

“As RFP we are working well with those who choose to work with us. Ntate Letlailana has never wanted to work with us for the good of the country. There is nothing new that we can expect from him. 

“After they tried to overthrow us, they have always been with the opposition. So, for them to cross the floor is a blessing for us for it exposes their true allegiances.  There is no use in us having people on our side whose sole aim is to sabotage our programme. 

 “Mr Letlailana has never been on our side even though he came into parliament on an RFP ticket. It’s good he has left. For us, it’s good riddance. 

“We are still working well as RFP, and the opposition will always have a different view from the RFP’s. But we are doing good as a party. He has always fought us in parliament. There has never been a time when Letlailana ever stood on our side….”