- as recruitment file for new MD ‘disappears’
- DCEO asked to investigate
Mohalenyane Phakela
THE recruitment process of a new boss for the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) has been thrown into turmoil.
This after a file in which the details of the recruitment process were being collated allegedly disappeared. The Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) has since been asked to probe the bizarre incident which is emblematic of the factionalism and feuds rocking the power utility and its parent Ministry of Energy.
So tense is the situation at the LEC that Acting Managing Director, Mohlomi Seitlheko, wrote to the DCEO asking it to probe the bizarre incident.
LEC board chairperson, Advocate Rapapa Sepiriti, stands accused of having “disappeared” the file, suspected to contain information favouring Mr Seitlheko’s appointment as substantive managing director. Adv Sepiriti is said to be opposed to Mr Seitlheko’s appointment.
However, Adv Sepiriti has refuted claims that the file was missing, claiming it was “safe”.
The DCEO has confirmed receipt of Mr Seitlheko’s letter asking it to probe the incident. Adv Sepiriti said he has no knowledge of the letter as it was not copied to him.
According to the letter dated 5 February 2024, Adv Sepiriti had originally ordered the file to be handed to him, only for it to “disappear” from the LEC head office in Maseru where it is supposed to be kept.
“On the 2nd February 2023, the Managing Director’s personal assistant, in the course of her duties, reported to me that the LEC Board Chairperson (Sepiriti) came to collect a file containing all the information pertaining to the pending recruitment of the LEC Managing Director,” part of Mr Seitlheko’s letter read.
“I was quite shocked that as the Managing Director (acting), and the ultimate authority through which such documents ought to be released, no communication whatsoever, had been proffered to me before such documents were released.
“Be that as it may, upon further enquiry, I established that the LEC Board Chairperson, liaised directly with the LEC Head of Corporate Services (Moipone Mashale), in whose custody the recruitment documents are kept, and the latter further directed her personal assistant to take the file to MD’s personal assistant for collection by the Chairperson.”
Mr Seitlheko said Adv Sepiriti’s actions were contrary to the principles of good corporate governance.
“I have been duly advised and verily believe that the Board chair (Sepiriti) acted against the principles of corporate governance in the following ways.
“1. He (Sepiriti) gave direct instructions to the LEC staff members that report directly to me as the acting Managing Director, without first informing me.
“2. He acted unilaterally without the Board resolution in accessing the file and the reason for taking the file has not been advanced thus far.
“I therefore wish to report that the LEC Managing Director recruitment file is missing in the custody of the LEC and request that an investigation be conducted accordingly to establish the whereabouts of the said file,” read Mr Seitlheko’s letter to the DCEO.
Contacted for comment yesterday, DCEO spokesperson, ‘Matlhohonolofatso Senoko, said her organisation was yet to deal with the matter.
“The said letter has been submitted to the Director General (Knorx Molelle) who is currently familiarising himself with its contents before we can act,” Ms Senoko said.
However, Adv Sepiriti insisted yesterday the file was not missing.
“I am not aware of the letter which you are saying has been written to the DCEO regarding the file. I was not copied or served (with the letter). Nonetheless, what I can assure you is that the file is not missing as is being alleged. The file is safe but I cannot disclose its whereabouts.
“It should be understood that the process of hiring the Managing Director is done by the Board. This means it is the custodian of the said file.
“We are currently busy with the recruitment process and will disclose the preferred candidate to fill that position once we are done,” Adv Sepiriti said.
Mr Seitlheko was appointed to the acting position of Managing Director in July last year following the departure of former Managing Director, Mohato Seleke. Mr Seitlheko is the substantive LEC General Manager – Engineering.
The Adv Sepiriti led board had commenced the recruitment process of the managing director soon after Mr Seleke left the power utility. It is understood that it had almost completed the process. However, the process was disrupted when the Ministry of Energy became independent after it was split from the Ministry of Natural Resources when Prime Minister Sam Matekane roped in new coalition government partners.
The Ministry of Energy became independent in November last year after the appointment of Professor Nqosa Mahao as its minister. It had been part of Mohlomi Moleko’s Natural Resources portfolio since the October 2022 general elections won by Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s Revolution for Prosperity (RFP).
However, the recruitment process had not been finalised when Mr Moleko relinquished his duties from the energy ministry. It was almost complete though.
The recruitment process was then halted to allow Prof Mahao, the leader of the Basotho Action Party (BAP) to familiarise himself with the affairs of his new ministry, including its main parastatal, the LEC.
The appointment of the new LEC MD has since become a thorny issue at the LEC and the energy ministry. It has also been cited as one of the key issues at the centre of the ongoing feud between Energy Minister Nqosa Mahao and his Principal Secretary Kopano Papano. The PS is said to be in favour of Mr Seitlheko’s confirmation to the MD post while Professor Mahao is said to be opposed to that.
Board chair Adv Sepiriti is seen as close to former MD Seleke and hence against Mr Seitlheko’s appointment.
It is further alleged the “disappeared file” largely favoured Mr Seitlheko’s appointment despite Adv Sepiriti’s opposition. Mr Seitlheko could not be reached for comment as his phone rang unanswered. But sources said his decision to try and rope in the DCEO was because he believed Adv Sepiriti was out to sabotage his appointment.
Ultimately, sources said premier Matekane would have to intervene and take decisive action to ensure that the feuds at the LEC and its parent ministry don’t go out of hand.
Prof Mahao said he had no role to play in the recruitment of the MD for the LEC as that was a prerogative of the board. He thus did not have any interest in that subject and allegations that he was interfering were not true.
