MASERU – AT least 5 000 workers from two textile companies are facing an uncertain future after they were sent on a three-month unpaid layoff as the industry grapples with the impacts of increased tariffs on exports.
The workers are from Pressures Group and Maseru E.
The secretary general of the General Workers Trade Unions (GENTU), Bahlakoana Lebakae, said the workers have been placed on “short term” layoff until September.
“We have never seen anything like this before,” Lebakae said.
“Our members are struggling to make ends meet, and this break has come at a time when many families can barely afford basic necessities,” he said.
“Some people have moved from the rural areas to Maseru where they can work.”
A worker at Maseru E, who only identified herself as ’Masempe, told thepost that “it is saddening that I am not going to get any income for the next three months”.
“Already, the company owes me money for the past month and we were told that there were no funds to pay us,” ’Masempe said.
She was among hundreds of workers who protested outside the factory’s gates this week demanding payment for work done before the company sends them on the unpaid layoff.
“All we want now is payment and then we can start talking about how we go about the lay-off,” said another worker.
“This is a sign that business is bad, and we understand, but that does not mean that we should not be paid what is due to us,” she said.
“Pay us what is due to us first and then we can hear what you have to say about the unpaid three months layoff.”
The situation has raised concerns among trade union leaders about the long-term implications for the nation’s economy and its workforce.
The textile sector is crucial to Lesotho’s economy, which used to provide employment to over 40 000 people, predominantly women. That number has now dwindled to barely 20 000.
However, recent changes in trade policies by President Donald Trump, particularly the imposition of higher tariffs, have severely affected the industry’s viability.
Many factories in Lesotho have been forced to halt operations, leaving workers without wages during this extended period.
Lebakae further revealed that another company, TZICC, has 2 000 workers who have also been temporarily laid off.
Another company, Luqy’s Group Investments (Pty) Ltd, has been criminally charged before Maseru Magistrate Lerato Ntelane for failing to pay workers.
Luqy’s directors, Aquilas Ansley Heeran and Mairoon Adams, were granted free bail on Monday last week.
The police’s investigation found that some of the workers were paid as little as M500 a month, far less than the minimum wage of M2 644.
“This is against the law, every worker should be paid as the contract says,” Lebakae said.
May Rathakane, the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL) secretary general, said the US-imposed tariffs have “had a huge impact on textile firms’ workers”.
“Because of these tariffs buyers are no longer placing orders,” Rathakane said.
“Workers are now relying on savings or support from family members to survive, but those resources are quickly dwindling,” he said.
Local markets are also feeling the strain, as reduced income among workers leads to decreased spending, affecting small businesses.
Street vendors near the factories have also felt the brunt of the vanishing textile jobs, as Lereko Moahloli who used to sell fat cakes said.
Moahloli said in May last year he would sell two 20 litre buckets of fat cakes to the workers, taking home at least M250 each day, but he had to quit earlier this year when he ran into losses.
“I’m now jobless like many of my former customers,” Moahloli said.
Tau Tlali
