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800 factory workers retrenched

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MASERU-A total of 800 factory workers were sent packing at Global Garments and its parent company, Nien Hsing, on Monday as a second wave of Covid-19-induced retrenchments hits Lesotho.

The National Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers Union (Nactwu)’s secretary general, Sam Mokhele, said all attempts to save the jobs failed.
“Workers were even willing to be laid off for a long time, even up to 12 months, but the employers said there was no guarantee that things would come back to normalcy,” Mokhele said.

“Their only option, after exploring several others, was to retrench.”
The companies, according to Mokhele, claimed that ever since Covid-19 struck in March they had not received any orders and there was no guarantee that they would receive any soon.

“It is not a secret that almost all material in the factories comes from outside the country and with the closure of borders due to Covid-19 nothing could be done,” he said.

Garments that could have been knitted during the pandemic cannot be exported because of the closure of borders across the world.
Most of the garments are exported to the United States.

Lesotho could be witnessing a second wave of retrenchments in six months ever since the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak in March.
The country imposed a total lockdown in April and only gradually reopened for business a month later.

Factories around the country sent thousands of workers home with others retrenching staff. When they reopened a month later not all workers were taken back.
Mokhele said the union tried to rope in other stakeholders like the Ministries of Labour and Trade in negotiations but nothing could be done because employers said they did not have money.

He said they even engaged international organisations but still there was no solution.
“We were told that the problem is lack of orders from buyers,” he said.
He said each company gave a notice to 400 workers adding that they tried to step in as a union by approaching parliament to intervene but nothing came out of that too.

“The government never laid down a plan to help save the jobs of Basotho,” he said.
Mokhele said the employers argued that to save other jobs they had to retrench.

“They said all the jobs will be gone due to the economic hardships if firms are not allowed to retrench.”
He said the law was followed while retrenching as the last people to join the companies were the first to go.

“Some are serving a two weeks’ notice starting from Monday while others are serving four weeks’ notice before they leave,” he said.
Mokhele said when it was suggested that the employer could be assisted with rental, water and electricity costs the answer was that it will not bring any change because the problem lies with orders that are not coming.

He said some companies had shut down even before the lockdown.
He said they pleaded with the government to relieve the employer by paying rent and electricity so as to keep the workers on their jobs.
Mokhele said the government failed to promise the employer anything.
“The Minister of Finance told us that they are not promising anything,” he said.

He said they also approached international unions to visit the headquarters of the employer in Taiwan to find out how the issue could be solved but that too failed.
He also said they are also trying to approach investors to invest in the company to save jobs as there is a possibility that soon another phase of retrenchment will take place.

He said their prayer is that the company regains stability to stop further retrenchments.
Labour Minister Keketso Rantšo, said her ministry’s responsibility is to mediate between all stakeholders where there is a need.
Rantšo said her responsibility is also to assure that no workers are retrenched without valid reasons.

“My job is to solve conflicts not to advocate for one factory,” she said.
She said many factories have shut down since the beginning of the pandemic, adding that they would intervene if the issue was not a result of the pandemic that has bothered the whole world.
“I will only fight for them to return to work when their factories re-hire afresh,” she said.

Rantšo said it is not her responsibility to negotiate with the Ministries of Water and Energy to give the company services for free.
“Many factories are being affected by the pandemic.”

Nkheli Liphoto

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Start-up companies win big

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TEN start-up companies were awarded about M130 000 each as capital at a ceremony held at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology yesterday.
The companies include Rosemore Couture, Techno Map ICT Company, Nkhekhe Innovative Solutions, Travel Tag Lesotho, Weekly Observer Electronic Newspaper, Media Lab Multimedia, and Green Lovers.

The awards were given under the Limkokwing Entrepreneurship Acceleration Platform, part of higher education institutions and corporations and companies that spearhead incubation programme for start-ups.

These Enterprise Support Organisations are from the Limkokwing University through its LEAP, the National University of Lesotho’s Innovation Hub, Basotho Enterprises Development Cooperation (BEDCO), The Entrepreneurs Network (TEN), and Gem Institute.

Each of these organisations was awarded M1.9 million, totalling M9.5 million.

The initiative sprang from Lesotho’s acquisition of a loan from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank to execute the Lesotho Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) Project.

CAFI’s purpose is to enhance the availability of business support services and financial products for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs, with a special emphasis on women and youths.

Limkokwing’s Enterprise Support Organisation manager, Lisema Ramaili, said the ceremony marked “a significant milestone into our journey and highlights the impactful work we are doing to support entrepreneurship and economic growth”.

“It also marks a significant step forward in our allegiance to foster innovation and entrepreneurship,” Ramaili said.

“I look back in all the journeys that we have travelled, from application to this programme, consolidating our proposals,” she said.

Limkokwing University’s Vice Chancellor, Advocate Tefo Macheli, said it is good that the small businesses are being helped to stand on their own as Lesotho marks its 200th anniversary.

Advocate Macheli said Limkokwing and the government awarded more than M1.2 million to small businesses.

“The Limkokwing University of Creativity Technology and innovation in cooperation with the Lesotho government made history that small Basotho enterprises are supported,” Advocate Macheli said.

“It has always been a challenge to the youths to start or have their own businesses because they were not supported financially” he said.

He said the Lesotho government is working hard to promote small Basotho enterprises which has not been happening in the past.

The university also provides business space with all necessary resources like water and electricity for its students in the understanding that “students are fresh from school and do not have any means of funds to have their own resources”.

Moleboheng Rose Molatelle, co-founder of Rosemore Couture, said that they first filled application forms with their business ideas and bankable business plans.

“Very fortunately I was among the top 20 that were to pitch and was able to meet the requirements,” Molatelle said.

Rosemore Couture is a clothing company.

Molatelle said the company needs equipment to grow its clothing footprint in the market.

“We need to go on with the production and add more workers so that at end of the day we could have a big company,” she said.

Staff Reporter

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Khemisi bags the big prize

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HOA Hlamatseha is a Sesotho expression that means lots of riches. Econet Telecom Lesotho is running a campaign by that name.

This week, Mamiki Khemisi struck the jackpot after she won the M150 000 prize during the Hoa Hlamatseha #EconetBlueOceans campaign for January.
The winner, from Masowe in Maseru, was announced at an event held at the Sefika Complex on Monday.

The Hoa Hlamatseha campaign allows customers to participate in a series of engaging activities, ranging from sending SMSs to opting-in as they purchase data or calling bundles.

Each participation earns customers points, contributing to their overall tally and increasing their chances of winning the grand prize.

Beyond being a celebration of connectivity, the campaign demonstrates Econet’s commitment to fostering a sense of community and shared joy.

“This campaign, a hallmark of Econet Telecom Lesotho’s commitment to celebrating and giving back to its loyal customer base, represents a culmination of joy, generosity, and community spirit,” ’Mapusetso Ntšekhe, Econet’s General Manager for Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience, said.

Ntšekhe said Econet recognises the importance of cultivating lasting relationships with its customers and understands that customer loyalty goes beyond the quality of service alone.

She added that by organising such campaigns, the company aims to foster a sense of belonging and appreciation among its customer base.

“Handing over this M150 000 grand prize winner for the month of January symbolises Econet’s dedication to make a meaningful impact in the lives of its customers and the broader community,” Ntšekhe said.

“In a world where communication is crucial, Econet is not only bridging the digital gap but also creating a bridge of shared joy and celebration,” she said.

Khemisi joins a distinguished list of individuals who have been positively touched by Econet Telecom Lesotho’s commitment to excellence and innovation in Lesotho’s rapidly evolving telecommunications industry.

Her selection as the grand prize winner serves as a testament to her loyalty and the enduring bond between Econet and its valued customers.

“I’m overwhelmed and equally excited to be announced by Econet as the winner of the M150 000 grand prize,” Khemisi said.

She further noted that “this amazing reward for my involvement in the campaign will be essential towards establishing a juice bottling company that’s already in the pipeline in partnership with my mom”.

By unveiling staggering cash prizes of M100 000, M150 000 and M200 000, Econet is setting a new standard for corporate generosity aimed at alleviating challenges faced by individuals and families in tough economic times.

In addition to the grand prizes, Econet customers also have the chance to walk away with M500 in daily prizes, M2 000 in weekly prizes, and smartphones.

Staff Reporter

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Chicken import ban lifted

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BASOTHO will finally have chicken on their dinner tables after the government lifted a ban on poultry products from South Africa imposed four months ago.
The Department of Livestock Services said the decision was with effect from yesterday.

Keneuoe Lehloenya, who is the Director of Livestock Services, said the department had decided to lift the ban imposed on poultry products from South Africa “except Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Western Cape provinces”.

She said import permits will be issued only for compartments certified free from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), a serious bird disease that requires a rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.

Lehloenya said it is South African veterinary authorities that will issue certificates for farms that are free from HPAI.

The import permits by Lesotho authorities will not be given for poultry products from “farms situated near or epidemiologically linked with affected farms”.

“They will not be considered for import,” she said.

The lifting of the ban comes after Agriculture Minister Thabo Mofosi temporarily banned imports of all poultry and poultry products from South Africa due to the bird flu outbreak last November.

The highly infectious bird flu had struck several provinces in South Africa, affecting major chicken farms.

There were reports that South Africa had culled 7.5 million birds, between 20 and 30 percent of its production chicken stock.

Mofosi issued the directive revoking all import permits for poultry and poultry products with immediate effect.

The bird flu outbreak came as South Africa’s chicken industry was already grappling with power shortages which have hit their production.
Chicken is the most imported meat in Lesotho.

In the 2019/2020 season, chicken constituted 81.1 percent of meat imports from South Africa.
Pork was at 15.8 percent, beef at 2.3 percent and mutton at 0.7 percent.

Nkheli Liphoto

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