News

Mine chaos will rock investor confidenceMine chaos will rock investor confidence

Published

7 years ago

June 29, 2018

MASERU – MINES Minister Keketso Sello should be having a pounding headache because of the chaos that has engulfed the mining sector. For months now Sello has been dealing with disturbances at Kao Mine where communities have risen to demand a pound of flesh from the mine.

There are similar skirmishes at other mines, albeit not at the same ferocity. Amidst the chaos, pangas have been drawn against the minister who finds himself accused of being too soft on Kao.
This week thepost spoke to the minister in an exclusive interview in which the first question was about the main grievances of the communities around Kao Mine.

The community at Kao has its list of grievances. The first is about compensation for their fields. The second is on the road from Ha Lejone to Kao.

This road issue is surprising to me because there are two mines in the area yet only one is being attacked over the road. The road is in an area that has Kao Mine and Liqhobong Mine yet the pressure to maintain it is all on Kao Mine. If this is a fair expectation then why are the communities silent about Liqobong Mine? In fact the road is more on the side of Liqhobong.

I have been told that there was an agreement for Liqhobong Mine to maintain the Ha-Lejone road while Kao Mine looks after the other road.

The other issue is that of toilets which I hear are already being built. There are also people affected by floods. What I know is that documentation for the relocation of those families has not been completed by the council.

It’s a simple logistical issue because money is there and plans for the houses are ready. The last issue is that of the dismissal of Tseko Ratia, the chairperson of the community committee, who was alleged to have been involved in intimidating colleagues and sabotaging mine operations.

Although I had asked the mine to wait until tempers had cooled off, the mine proceeded with the disciplinary action. But I must say that this is an internal issue that the mine has to handle on its own.

How true are the allegations that some politicians have now entered the fray and are making the situation worse.

That is true. Every time politicians approach this issue they only speak about the community and never about the investor. They add fire instead of pouring water. What I am saying is that they don’t seem to be trying to sort out the issues. It is easy for politicians to side with angry people.

The TRC (Transformation Resource Centre) is now in there as well. I don’t see what they want to achieve because it is clear that they are not being fair. They seem to be pushing their own agenda. There have been some allegations that the TRC thrives on unrest and for a long time I did not buy that idea. I am now beginning to change.

I say this because according to them the communities are always correct and the investor is always wrong. When they are meeting the community committee will dishonour the minutes and say different things. They will deny everything.

They never accept the minutes of meetings they attend. As far as I can see there are people enjoying this unnecessary unrest. They don’t seem to want a solution. They are pushing their own agendas.

Do you suppose there will be a solution if the community deals directly with the mine without intermediaries like NGOs and politicians?

That is the biggest challenge but let’s start from the beginning. When floods that affected some families happened I was out of the country. I sent another minister who was acting on my behalf. Remember there was that unfortunate incident where one person was fatally shot and the other was critically injured by the police. This minister went there to give the mine an ultimatum to deal with some issues within three months.

That time was too little. Now when we go there to try and resolve matters the people say they only want to talk to that minister because he is the only one who knows what they want. They say he is the one who sorts out their problem.

We know that is not true. Now you have these ministers who come into the area and cause more problems because they are influencing the community. You also have the parliamentary portfolio committee which is making the situation worse instead of resolving it.

All the people are not there to serve the interests of the mine and the community. They are politically pleasing the people. We will never sort out things as a country if we are one-sided. They want to keep stoning the investors.
They should be fanning the fires. There are not going to be miracles because some of the things take time to fix. If you want to sort out the problem you must be objective and have a clear timeline on when certain things should be done.

I was the first minister to try and deal with the community concerns. The communities now have the platform but they should not abuse it. If we are working on this together then we should be honest.

What is the role of the community committee in the issue?

We have to first consider how the committee is formed. My understanding, which is the ideal situation, is that the committee is supposed to stand for the community. The mandate and expectations have to be clear.
But in pushing for the interests of the community the committee should not be hurting the mine’s production. Production is important because it is only when there is production that the community can get what it wants from the mine.

The things they are demanding require money which can only come when there is production at the mine. This production is important for the community, the mine, the people of this country, the economy and the whole country.
The committee should not behave like hooligans. They should understand that they are partners in the operations and it is important that they live peacefully with the mine.

They are justified to make demands but this should not be done in isolation. We don’t want gangs. You cannot turn this country into a jungle. We are getting reports that some of the gangs are intimidating the police.
They accuse the police of being fed and transported by the mine. As far as I am concerned some of the issues are quite petty. They should understand the importance of working together.

Have you reported this matter to Cabinet?

I have never taken this to the Cabinet directly but I told the Prime Minister about it. Because there is a portfolio committee I was expecting that they would take the issue to parliament.
There are clear rules that should be followed on this issue. I was expecting the portfolio committee to help solve the problem and not behave the way they are doing.
The community’s issues should be addressed and the mine has to operate. We cannot be a country that doesn’t respect the rule of law and investment laws.

But how do you expect the portfolio committee to solve the problem when it is said to be part of the problem? There are reports that the chairperson of the committee Molefe is a diamond dealer.

It is going to be difficult for me to have confidence in them. Someone who deals in diamonds and also handles mine matters is clearly conflicted because he will always want a piece of the pie. He is a diamond dealer but I have not renewed his licence because I first want to understand where he will be getting his supply.

This is a question I have asked other people who have applied for licences. I think this explains his anger. The guy is hammering the companies in meetings with the public. It’s a sad reality.

Staff Reporter

News

Knives out for Molelle

Published

6 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

6 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

6 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