News

Jobs carnage in factories

Published

3 years ago

August 24, 2021

MASERU – THE Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a jobs carnage in textile factories with over 18 600 employees losing their jobs in the first quarter of 2020.
That is according to a Manufacturing Report which was released by the Bureau of Statistics recently.
The report says on an annual basis, the total number of employees in the manufacturing sector decreased by 33.8 percent in the first quarter of 2021 over the same quarter of 2020.

The major contributors to the decline were “Textiles & Clothing” and “Food and Beverages” with 39.0 and 13.1 percent respectively.
There was an overall decrease of 22.8 percent to the total number of persons employed in the first quarter of 2021 over the previous quarter.
Textiles and clothing were the major contributors, depicting a decline of 28.4 in employment over the previous quarter.
Although there was an overall decrease in employment, other industries registered double-digit figures growth.

The report attributes the significant drop in employment during this period to the effect of the national lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The uncertainty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a halt of some of economic activities hence, employment has been impacted differently for some months of the quarter under study,” the report reads.
The job losses have hit female-led households extremely hard, according to the report.
It says in the first quarter of 2021, there were more females than males in the manufacturing sector at 76.9 and 23.1 percent respectively.

Although there were more females in the sector, they held other positions and were engaged mostly as part-time labour as opposed to their male counterparts who held managerial positions.
Though the first quarter saw a lot of employees without jobs, the monthly wages and salaries in the manufacturing sector were estimated at M2 333 during the first quarter of 2021.
This indicated an overall increase of 84.9 percent for all the industries.
The increase was mostly observed in all industries, with Food and Beverages, which contributed most with 211.6 percent followed by Leather & Footwear with 188.7 percent.

On a year-to-year basis, the general decrease of 4.7 percent of average monthly wages and salaries was observed in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same quarter in 2020.
“Other Manufacturing” and “Leather & Footwear” contributed largely to the decrease by 39.8 and 21.7 percent respectively.
Nonetheless, all the industries had some impact on the decline of salaries and wages, with the exception of Food & Beverages which saw about five percent growth.
The manufacturing sector, especially the textile and clothing sector, is mostly owned by foreigners.

“The establishments engaged in manufacturing of goods were mostly fully foreign-owned (55.9 percent) while those that were “Fully National Private”, and “More than 50 per cent National”, constituted 23.5 percent and 8.8 percent of the establishments respectively”, the report reads.
These factories have been exporting their products to South Africa, United States and other five countries, with the majority of products being exported to the first two countries.
Thabisang Lenoesa, 45, has worked at the Nien Hsing textile factory since 2001 when it was opened.
The end of July marked her last day at work after 20 years of service as an operator.

Lenoesa is amongst the thousands of textile workers who have lost their jobs.
Early July her former employer informed her and many other employees that they should not come back for the new month.
Like many others, Lenoesa did not go home by choice but rather was forced by the prevailing crisis facing textile companies.
“The employer said due to the Covid-19 pandemic there was no market for the items we produced. The orders were failing to reach their destination on time and business in general was bad,” Lenoesa said.
“I lost my husband in 2004, all these years my job at the factory was the core of my livelihood,” she said.

“I paid for my children’s education through this job, I clothed and fed them through the same job even though the income was not much.”
Today Lenoesa has joined hundreds of street vendors selling sheep trotters and heads.
“There is no other option, our children are still at home even though they have educational certificates. There are no jobs for the young and strong, what more for someone old as me,” Lenoesa said.
Meanwhile, each passing day is a huge battle for 42-year-old Mpho Molungoa.
Molungoa, a mother of a three-year-old, has been working as an operator since 2012 at the Nien Hsing factory.
As it is, only one line of operators is remaining in the factory, many have been sent home.

“I saw it when my colleagues left, each not knowing what the future holds, not knowing how they were going to survive or start all over,” Molungoa said.
“Now with each passing day, I feel the weight of expectation. A sense of doom is hanging over me, I do not know how I am going to make things work,” she said.
Last month Molungoa received a letter notifying her that the company was letting her go.
However, the letter did not have a specific date on when she would be expected to pack and go.
“I have heard some say that by the end of this month we will be out of jobs. What is happening to us is a very painful tragedy that we cannot stop,” she said.

“Even if other factories were to hire us it would only be a portion as Nien Hsing was the biggest factory. Seeking employment in South Africa as a domestic worker is also out of question for me, my child is too young.”
“Only the Good Lord will see us through this calamity.”
Sam Mokhele, the Secretary General of the National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU), said they are overwhelmed and saddened by these job losses.
According to Mokhele, since last February employees were already losing their jobs and it does not seem like things will change any time soon.
“It is a hopeless situation because employers say they do not have a financial problem rather a market access problem. Products are no longer selling, employers are constantly losing money,” Mokhele said.

The impact of these losses, he said, will increase crime as people will be looking for means to survive.
“Our unemployment rate was already high even before these job losses began. With thousands and thousands expected to go home, the unemployment numbers are going to shoot,” Mokhele said.
“We have a meeting tomorrow with another factory that is planning to retrench about 800 employees,” he said.

Lemohang Rakotsoane

News

Knives out for Molelle

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

3 days 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