News

A new approach for the textile sector

Published

5 years ago

April 15, 2020

Own Correspondent

ROMA-SEBABATSO Sentšo and Senate Mpaki at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Innovation Hub are bringing a new look to Lesotho’s textile industry.
Several things will separate their business to similar ones in the local markets.

“We are focusing on mass production and localisation of our products,” they say.
“And we have seen an opening in the market. That is why we are developing cushions, potholders, dishwasher cloths (lifatuku), swabs, napkins, curtains, table runners, table clothes, pencil cases and so on, in our catalogue.”

These are the things which few people, if any, are making in Lesotho.
To really understand the approach, these two ladies under the supervision of Papali Maqalika-Mokobori, you need to know a thing or two about Lesotho’s textile industry.

That industry will amaze you with its yawning gaps between the local small-scale producers and the mostly international large-scale producers.
Throw a stone randomly and you are likely to hit a very tiny clothing business, usually manned by one or two people in Lesotho.
And throw a stone at Ha-Thetsane or Maputsoe and you are likely to hit a Chinese or Taiwanese clothing factory hiring between 500 to 2 000 workers.
Why the difference?
Have you ever wondered why the foreign investors will use your factory shells, your machines and your people to make clothes and then ship the bulk of profits to their home countries?
“It is not as if Basotho can’t make quality textile products on a large scale,” Sebabatso and Senate said.
“It is that we have been content with the boitšokoli (hustling) approach, something our Chinese-Taiwanese brothers have long learned to throw out of the window.”
Here is an example.
Think of a Mosotho educated in textile science or fashion design from a local university.

When she graduates, she starts making very nice clothing items and begins taking orders.
What happens when orders pile up?
“We normally won’t hire anyone to assist,” they said, “rather, we work ourselves to death, to a point where more orders threaten, rather than strengthen, our businesses.”
That is a boitšokoli mentality.

Business growth is just not in the DNA of such approach to business.
Government officials and cheerleaders don’t help either.
“You must be self-employed,” they say.
One local school even prides itself on producing what it calls ‘self-employers.’

But the reality is, taxpayer’s money is spent to educate these folks so that they can employ both themselves and, for goodness’ sake, others.
When you were schooled in fashion design or textile science, your job is not so much to make clothing yourself as it is to design, supervise and even control quality of the products.

By all means, the sooner you let the unskilled people be the ones on the machines, the better.
“In line with this thinking, we are on the verge of introducing mass production, which we studied as students of BSc Consumer Science at NUL,” said the twosome.

In mass production, one person’s job is to install a zip, another one’s is to install a sleeve, and another one focuses on a pocket.
No single person is given the responsibility of making the whole item.

The two also say that after years of observation, they have also come to the conclusion that the local textile industry is focusing on clothing only.
“Yet in Lesotho, we buy all kinds of textile products from pillow cases to laptop bags, none of which are made in Lesotho.”
“Our mission is to enter that unchartered territory and try our luck,” they said.

As they make all these things, they think localising their products such that they have Basotho traditional or, at minimum, African feel, will work.
“If you visit India, you will find textiles that have an Indian feel. When you wear them, we associate you with India. Why can’t we have apparels that can be associated with Lesotho without losing their international appeal?” they inquired.

That is why they are exploring the application of Seshoeshoe and African print in their apparels.
The duo said they are forever grateful for exploring these options within the confines of the NUL Innovation Hub, which they describe as the “best place they could ever be in.”
Listen to their reasons.

“We have just talked about the importance of mass production that will help us to throw away the boitšokoli mentality. That is at the heart of the NUL Innovation Hub’s philosophy. We are made to understand that principle here, above anything else.”

They also think that access to their former teachers and access to laboratories while they are at the hub is super.
“When you are here, it’s like you are a student again, except that now you are a student who is constantly producing something. We can study our materials for their absorbance, durability, friction, flammability, water absorption, you name them.”

“Sometimes we are like, does our government understand what a transformational institution the NUL Innovation Hub really is in terms of its potential to create jobs?”
“If it does, then, why is it watching?”

Own Correspondent

News

Knives out for Molelle

Published

18 hours ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

KNORX Molelle’s appointment as the Director General of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) in February 2023 could have been illegal.

The Law Society of Lesotho has told Prime Minister Sam Matekane that Molelle was appointed without being admitted as a legal practitioner in Lesotho, as required by law.

The society claims the information came from a whistleblower on January 2 and was corroborated by its roll of legal practitioners in Lesotho.

The society says the appointment violates section 4 of the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act 1999 which states that a person shall not be appointed as the DCEO director general unless they have been admitted as a legal practitioner in terms of the Legal Practitioners Act.

In the letter, Advocate Ithabeleng Phamotse, the society’s secretary, tells Matekane that this requirement “is not a mere procedural formality but a substantive qualification essential to the lawful appointment of the Director General”.

“The absence of such qualification fatally impairs the appointment ab initio, rendering it null and void from the outset,” Advocate Phamotse says in the letter written on Tuesday.

The society argues that if left unaddressed the illegality undermines the credibility, effectiveness and legality of the DCEO’s operations and exposes the kingdom to serious risks, including challenges to the lawfulness of decisions and actions made by Molelle.

“Should it be confirmed that the appointment was made in contravention of the mandatory legal requirements,” Advocate Phamotse said, “we respectfully urge you to take immediate corrective action to rectify this glaring irregularity”.

Advocate Phamotse tells the prime minister that if the appointment is not corrected, the society would be “left with no alternative but to institute legal proceedings to protect the interests of justice and uphold the rule of law in Lesotho”.

“We trust that you will accord this matter your highest priority and act decisively to avert further damage to the integrity of our governance structures.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Thapelo Mabote, said they received the letter but Matekane had not yet read it yesterday.

Matekane is on leave and is expected back in the office on January 14.

Questions over the validity of his appointment come as Molelle is being haunted by the damaging audio clips that were leaked last week.

The clips were clandestinely recorded by Basotho National Party leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe.

In some of the clips, Molelle appears to be describing Matekane and his deputy Justice Nthomeng Majara as idiots. He also appears to be calling Law Minister Richard Ramoeletsi a devil.

In other clips, he seems to be discussing cases. thepost has not independently verified the authenticity of the audio clips.

Staff Reporter

News

Massive salary hike for chiefs

Published

18 hours ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

THE government has increased the salaries for traditional leaders by a massive 88.5 percent.

This means that a village chief not appointed by a gazette will now earn M3 001 a month, up from the previous salary of M1 592. That means village chiefs will now earn an extra M1 409 per month.

A village chief, or headman, appointed by a gazette has moved from M1 966 to M3 567 per month.

Above a village chief is one with jurisdiction over a small cluster of villages, a category three chief, who now moves from M3 768 to M5 181 per month.

A category four chief, known as ward chief, has moved from M4 455 per month to M7 993.

The category five chief, who reports directly to a principal chief, will now earn M10 674, up from M9 939 per month.

There is no increment for principal chiefs.

The government says the budget for chiefs’ salaries has moved from M129.4 million to M208.3 million annually.

The hike follows a series of discussions between the Lesotho Workers Association, representing the chiefs, and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship.

The revised salaries will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2025.

According to the settlement agreement, a discussion about raising the lowest salary of M6 000 for the lowest-ranking chiefs will be revisited in October 2025.

Chiefs who spoke to thepost have expressed satisfaction with the hike, saying it will significantly improve their lives.

Chief Mopeli Matsoso of Ha-Tikoe in Maseru said his previous salary of M1 500 per month would now be doubled, which would improve his life and help provide smoother services to the community.

He stressed that they used to close the offices while going out looking for jobs to compensate for their little salaries.

“Now the people will get smoother services,” Chief Matsoso said.

“The offices will forever be open,” he said.

Chief Matsoso said the salary hike will also serve as a motivation for other chiefs.

Chief Tumo Majara of Liboping, Mokhethoaneng, also expressed his gratitude.

Chief Majara acknowledge the positive impact the salary review would have, especially as a new officeholder.

“I guess we are all happy, that review will help a lot,” he said.

The Principal Chief of Thaba-Bosiu, Khoabane Theko, said the salary increase of chief is a welcome move by the government.

“I’m yet to study how the new salary structure looks like. But I welcome it as a good move by the government,”Chief Theko said.

Nkheli Liphoto

News

Maqelepo says suspension deeply flawed

Published

18 hours ago

January 13, 2025

The Post

MASERU

Motlatsi Maqelepo, the embattled Basotho Action Party (BAP) deputy leader and Tello Kibane, who was the party chairman, have rejected their suspension from the party arguing it was legally flawed.

The BAP’s central executive committee on Tuesday suspended Maqelepo for seven years and Kibane for five years. The suspensions became effective on the same day.

The party’s disciplinary committee which met last Wednesday had recommended an expulsion for the two but that decision was rejected with the committee pushing for a lengthy suspension.

Maqelepo’s suspension will end on January 7, 2032 while Kibane’s will run until January 7, 2030.

Their suspension letters from the BAP deputy secretary general Victoria Qheku, say they should not participate in any of the party’s activities.

“In effect, you are relieved of your responsibility as a CEC member and BAP deputy leader,” Maqelepo was told in the letter.

“You were found guilty by default on all charges and the committee recommended your immediate dismissal from the party,” the letter reads.

On Kibane, the verdict states that the committee decided to mitigate the recommended sanction by reducing his suspension to five years.

“In the gravity of the charges, the suspension affects your membership in the BAP parliamentary caucus from which you are removed as a chairman.”

They were suspended in absentia after they refused to attend the disciplinary hearing, which they said was illegal.

In response to the suspension, Maqelepo wrote a letter addressing the BAP members in general, defying the committee’s decision to suspend them.

He has called for a special conference, appealing to party constituencies to push for it, citing the ongoing internal fight that includes the leadership’s decision to withdraw the BAP from the coalition government.

Maqelepo also said the central executive committee is illegally in a campaign to dissolve committees in the constituencies and replace them with stooges.

He reminded the members that there is a court case pending in the High Court seeking an interdiction to charge them in the party’s structures without approval of the special conference that he is calling.

He said the party leadership should have awaited the outcome of the case before proceeding with any disciplinary action.

“The party that is led by a professor of law continues to do dismissals despite the issue being taken to the courts,” Maqelepo said.

The party leader, Professor Nqosa Mahao, is a distinguished professor of law.

Maqelepo said they would write the central executive committee rejecting its decision to suspend them, saying they will continue taking part in party activities.

He said their fate in the party is in the hands of the special conference.

He appealed to all the party constituencies to continue writing letters demanding the special conference.

Both Maqelepo and Kibane received letters on November 28 last year inviting them to show cause why they should not be suspended pending their hearing.

They both responded on the following day refusing to attend.

Maqelepo, Kibane, Hilda Van Rooyen, and ’Mamoipone Senauoane are accused of supporting a move to remove Professor Mahao from his ministerial position last year.

They were part of the BAP members who asked Prime Minister Sam Matekane to fire Professor Mahao, who at the same time was pushing for the reshuffling of Tankiso Phapano, the principal secretary for the Ministry of Energy.

When Matekane ignored Professor Mahao’s demands, the latter withdrew the BAP from the coalition government much to the fierce resistance of the party’s four MPs.

Maqelepo started touting members from constituencies to call for a special conference to reverse Professor Mahao and the central executive committee’s decision.

The central executive committee issued a circular stopping Maqelepo’s rallies but he continued, with the support of the other MPs.

In the BAP caucus of six MPs, it is only Professor Mahao and ’Manyaneso Taole who are supporting the withdrawal from the government.

Nkheli Liphoto