News

Power to the people!

Published

4 years ago

January 12, 2021

MASERU-THE days when Lesotho used to rely on electricity imports for its needs could soon be over after Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro launched the Ha-Ramarothole Solar Power project two weeks ago.

On its completion, the project is expected to generate 70 megawatts, the same amount of power produced by ’Muela Hydro Power station.
The country is reliant on electricity generated at ’Muela as well as imports from South Africa’s Eskom and Mozambique’s Electricidade de Moçambique.

The ’Muela Hydro Power Station produces about 50 percent of Lesotho’s energy needs, while the other half is imported from South Africa and Mozambique.
This means the Ha-Ramarothole Solar Power project, if successfully implemented, could result in an end to power imports.
The Ha-Ramarothole solar power plant will be erected on a spacious area with plenty of access to sunlight.

At the launch of the project, Dr Majoro said Lesotho is partnering with China to implement the initiative.
A contractor, Tbea-Sinoma Consortium, is already on site to do the job, he said.

“There are a myriad of challenges when electricity is distributed in the country because the demand is higher than what we can offer as a country,” Dr Majoro said, adding that the country would save crucial foreign currency by meeting its own electricity demands.
“Solar energy is also known for being environmentally friendly,” he said.
The first phase of the project, the Prime Minister said, will generate 30 megawatts while the second will generate 40 megawatts.

Dr Majoro said the project will ease unemployment challenges in the area as locals will be recruited during the construction phase.
He said people who lost their land to make way for the project will receive compensation on an annual basis for at least 25 years.
Lesotho has struggled with electricity deficits which have negatively impacted economic growth.

A study by some National University of Lesotho (NUL) lecturers published in 2017 noted that “economic growth, financial development, and industrialisation are positively related to electricity consumption in the long-run”.
The study found that Lesotho had been importing almost all of its electricity from Eskom in South Africa since 1969 until the establishment of the ’Muela Hydropower Plant (MHP) in 1998.

However, due to a rise in demand driven by increased electrification of the country, the country was forced to continue importing extra electricity from Eskom and later from Eletricidade de Mozambique following the 2008 electricity crisis.
The study found that in recent years, the country’s peak electricity demand has been rising in tandem with the electrification level, reaching 143 megawatts in 2014.

This led to a peak power deficit of about 50 percent that had to be met through imports.
“Industrial growth demands more energy… thus, energy policymakers in Lesotho should ensure the availability of electricity by promoting efficient energy use and exploring other sources of energy. This could also reduce dependence from relatively costly electricity imports,” according to the study.

Some NUL lecturers led by Molibeli Taele in an article titled ‘Solar energy resources potential and sustainable production of biomass’, said the majority of Lesotho’s population primarily living in rural areas lack a number of facilities because of insufficient access to energy.

The lecturers found that heavy reliance on traditional biomass sources and imported fossil fuels, coupled with the growing demand for electricity, electricity tariff hikes, escalating petrochemical fuel prices and declining wood fuel supplies, call for an urgent emphasis on improving the energy production resource mix through increased use of renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency and conservation practices.

“Lesotho has a comparative advantage of renewable energy sources like sun, wind, biomass and hydro, and needs systematic evaluation of these resources and organised planning for using these resources to attain stability in the energy sector,” the lecturers said.

The article also revealed that several indicators point to an energy crisis in Lesotho, which include accelerated deforestation, a biomass energy deficit and deterioration in electricity generation and distribution systems.
“Renewable energy is the solution to Lesotho’s growing energy challenge,” he said.
Another separate study found that solar radiation levels in Lesotho are amongst the highest in the world.

Except on a few days in the rainy season, the sun appears for up to 13 hours a day and most parts of the country get 300 days of sunshine a year.
Despite the great potential, solar energy currently contributes less than one percent to the country’s primary energy and even less to the consumption of commercial energy.

The main obstacle holding back the wide-spread deployment of solar PV is its prohibitive costs in comparison to competing fuels like wood, paraffin, gas and electricity generated from conventional power sources, the study noted.

Currently, the cost of a Solar Home System (SHS) of 20-150 watts is typically between US$22 (about M322) to US$30 (about M440) per peak watt without subsidies, and in the vicinity of US$ 15 (about M220) to US$20 (about M293) per watt for large-scale applications (water pumping, clinics and schools’ electrification, and other productive uses).

This is taking into account that batteries will need to be replaced every two to three years and the charge controller every five years, noted the study.
With recent advancements in solar technology, manufacturing innovations and economies of scale in production, analysts forecast that market conditions in the PV sector will continue to exert strong downward pressure on pricing.

“The trend indicates that solar power may be able to cost-effectively compete with conventional power sources in the immediate future. However, it is not obvious that the BOS costs can be expected to fall dramatically in future, since the processes involved are relatively simple and not likely to undergo rapid technical advance similar to that being made in cell production.”

Despite the apparent advantages of solar power, the community in Ha-Ramorothole is not entirely happy.
Majake Mabele, a villager there, said locals want the government to compensate them for the land which they used for farming but which has now been taken up by the solar projects.

He said many villagers regard the land as their only source of income and food, claiming that only a few people had received some money.
“And that money was not compensation per se but just an appreciation gesture that the people had agreed to part with their fields for the project,” said Mabele.

Mabele said people in the area hope the project will result in job creation as well as a market for small scale businesses “but what people want the most is compensation.”
About five villages under the jurisdiction of the Principal Chief of Likhoele, Chief Lerotholi Seeiso, have been affected by the project.
Mabele said the government had since asked locals to open bank accounts so that they could easily access compensation monies when it becomes ready.

At the beginning of the talks with the government, Mabele said, people were promised that water would be installed for them in return for supporting the project.
“The compensation should be fast-tracked so that we do not cry foul like other communities where the government has never compensated people after appropriating their land,” said Mabele.

The councillor for the area, Sebofi Moeketsi, expressed similar sentiments, saying villagers hoped the government will honour its promise to start processing the compensation in January.

Majara Molupe

News

Knives out for Molelle

Published

7 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

7 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

7 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