Sports

Resignations at NUL: Setting the record straight

Published

7 years ago

March 2, 2018

I resigned from the National University of Lesotho (NUL), in mid-January, 2018. Some two weeks ago, Vice-Chancellor Professor Nqosa Mahao, told Members of Parliament that he had accepted the resignation of a staff member who was leaving the NUL to join the University of Swaziland (UNISWA).

He said the staff member was leaving NUL because salaries were better at UNISWA. His utterances were heard by many others who followed parliament’s proceedings, via various media. Clearly, the VC was referring either to the resignation of another member of staff who might have also resigned, recently, or to mine.

Anyhow, following the VC’s utterances in parliament, friends and acquaintances approached me to say they’d heard that the VC was referring to my resignation. Although, as many say, all indications are that, the VC was referring to me, I find it difficult to believe that he was. Here’s why.
A couple of weeks after my resignation, VC asked that we meet, in his office. In that meeting, he asked me why I was leaving. I told him it was because the University committee he chairs (Academic Staff Appointments Committee, ASAC) had messed up Department of which I am member, by rejecting a recommendation not to renew contract of colleague who had disappeared, for about one week, leaving students unattended.

In our discussion, VC showed himself to be in full support of ASAC’s decision, and went to extent of saying things that were, patently, not true, to justify ASAC’s decision. In a nutshell, the reason we have been given, for keeping the colleague, is that, he has a PhD.
He then said (in our meeting, in his office) that, I was leaving because of better salaries. As I had done, at beginning of our meeting, I told him that, I was not leaving because of NUL’s bad salaries but because my Department had been messed up.

If I’d allowed money to influence my decision whether to stay at NUL or not, as is being suggested, I had, at least, two opportunities to do so in the past.
Principles aside, I am too old to be gallivanting around southern Africa in search of good pay. I have worked at NUL for many years, for poor pay, and I have accepted I am going to retire into poverty. I am going to be 61, in May, 2018.
With less than five years left on my productive life, I’d be utterly potty to think that, working for good pay in Swaziland, for two years, would change conditions that await me on retirement.

Overall, personally, I have been deeply disappointed by Professor Mahao’s vice-chancellorship. We are constantly being told that, his administration values people with PhD’s because of the image they give NUL.
This is justification for blocking removal of people such as our colleague. We all know having PhD, or being professor, is not always synonymous with productivity.

Staff have to be valued based on their attitude towards work and output, and not solely on their qualifications, or titles.
Work at NUL is on the shoulders of many dedicated Masters’ degrees holders. Yes, we’d all love them all to acquire PhD’s, but we should not make them feel small and unvalued when they don’t want PhD’s, or when acquiring PhD’s is not possible, for any one of many good reasons.
They are among people who risked their jobs, and contributed hard-earned money towards legal fees, from 2011 to 2014, to fight, when the LCD government tried to wreck NUL, to make way for portfolio universities, in which politicians have financial interests.

People who are ruled by better pay may find it hard to accept that I am not going to Swaziland because of better pay but because I would like to work in an environment that allows me to work. This is not the case at NUL, at present.
Financial conditions under which governments have forced the University fulfil its public obligations, are truly objectionable. I support all efforts to secure funding for University.

But that should not be done dishonestly, by misrepresenting staff’s reasons for resigning from the University, particularly, when that misrepresentation (i) intentionally presents others as mercenaries; and (ii) has effect of concealing maladministration as cause of discontent.
Vice Chancellor should tell stories of, not only those who are leaving NUL because of bad salaries, but also stories of staff who resign because of his administration.

It is very true that, currently, NUL’s problems have to do with a very small government subvention that governments have reduced even further, at every opportunity. But NUL’s problems also have to do with abilities, attitudes, and competencies of those placed in the institution’s key positions.

l In the interests of fairness, we have allowed Professor Mahao to respond to the issues raised in this article. thepost will carry his response next week.

Sports

Big dreams for the New Year

Published

7 days ago

January 6, 2025

The Post

MASERU

The sport fraternity has opened a new chapter with the dawn of the New Year, closing what was a difficult year for football.

Last year began in grief when, in February, the football fraternity mourned the death of former Likuena coach Moses Maliehe, who lost his life following a long illness.

It was his Likuena side that famously came close to qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, but suffered a heartbreak on the final day of the qualifiers, playing to a draw with Cape Verde when they needed a victory to book a ticket to Egypt.

While the country was still mourning for Maliehe, the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) announced the untimely passing of Mehalalitoe head coach Pule Khojane after a short illness.

Khojane was also the association’s Coach Educator, a role he also held with Africa’s football governing body, CAF.

However, it was not all doom and gloom in sport.

Other sporting codes achieved major highs in 2024, one of which was Lesotho being granted full membership by World Rugby after being associate members for only two years.

Lesotho was one of three countries – alongside Egypt and Guatemala – that were elevated to full World Rugby member
status after approval during the international federation’s council meeting on November 14.

Another highlight came last October when the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) played host to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Dr Thomas Bach, who made a high profile visit to the country.

Bach was in Lesotho on a two-day visit as part of his tour across the African continent.

Bach’s trip aimed to emphasise the increasing significance of Africa in the Olympic Games as well as to acknowledge and encourage the development of sports in Lesotho.

Upon his arrival in the country, Bach met with the Minister of Sports, Motlatsi Maqelepo.

Bach also paid a courtesy call on the acting Prime Minister, Selibe Mochoboroane, followed by a tour of Lehakoe Sports Arena.

Meanwhile, a difficult year for football ended on a positive note with LEFA announcing the return of league champions to the CAF Champions League next year.

The sports fraternity will be hoping the new year brings even more positives for the country.

Tlalane Phahla

Sports

Back to base for LCS?

Published

7 days ago

January 6, 2025

The Post

MASERU

Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS) Football Club look set for a long-awaited homecoming to their cherished colliseum when Vodacom Premier League action returns later this month.

It has been three months since the LCS Ground was banned from hosting league games when premiership sponsors, Vodacom, demanded the venue be stripped of hosting rights for the 2024/25 season.

Vodacom was unhappy because the LCS Ground is branded with the colours of their rival telecommunications company, Econet Telecom Lesotho.

‘Masheshena’ has been fighting to regain use of their home ground ever since and, in the meantime, they have been forced to pack their bags and use Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena and Ratjomose Ground as home grounds.

The six-time league champions have struggled without their home turf advantage and find themselves languishing in ninth place having already lost five of their 11 matches this season.

The New Year, however, appears to have brought good tidings for LCS fans and talks between the club, the Premier League and sponsors Vodacom are said to be at an advanced stage.

Speaking to thepost this week, ‘Masheshena’ spokesperson Kofa Rantai confirmed talks have been positive and plans are afoot to have the club back at their home ground.

“The talks are advanced and the plan is to host our second round games at our ground,” Rantai told thepost.

“We still have four games left in the first round and we will play those games in January and maybe one of those games will be at LCS but our plan is for the second round games,” he added.

Not only have LCS had to hire grounds but they have also missed out on precious revenue as other Premier League teams such as Liphakoe and Machokha, used to rent the LCS Ground to use as their home ground.

“In the coming weeks we will know more, however, I can say it has been very costly hosting games at Bambatha because when you hire the ground, you also have to hire a cleaning company.

“Sometimes we played at Ratjomose, which we also had to pay for,” Rantai said.

The Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) chairman, Moeketsi Ramakatsa, confirmed that the LCS ground is set to be part of the Vodacom Premier League season in the second round.

The ban on the venue also gave the PLMC a painful headache because there are not enough grounds that can host elite league matches.

The LCS Ground was one of few arenas that met most of the requirements set out by the PLMC.

Tlalane Phahla

Sports

Likuena Faces Uphill Battle in CHAN Qualifiers

Published

3 weeks ago

December 22, 2024

The Post

Likuena will need a significant turnaround in the second leg of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers after a 2-0 loss to Angola at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Goals from Pedro Pessoa and Caporal in the first half put Lesotho on the back foot early, making a comeback difficult. Head coach Leslie Notši acknowledged the challenges but said his team displayed improved performance in the second half.

“Conceding two early goals that’s where the difference was, they dominated the first half but I thought we came back better in the second half we tried to create opportunities which I think we could have done better, for us that’s something we can build on,” Notši said when speaking to the reporters in a post-match press conference.

He also took note of Angola’s quality and consistency but insisted that his team remains determined to show up and compete in the return leg in Luanda next week. Even though, the odds are stacked against them, Notši sees this as a learning opportunity for his young players.

“It was locally based player but you can see that they have quality in their team. There are a lot of good attributes that we took from the match, there are youngsters in our team and I think they had a good run,” he said.

“The second leg in Luanda is a tough match but we still believe in ourselves, we will give them the respect due to them but at the same time we are going there to be competitive. It’s an opportunity for our boys to get this kind of opportunities to improve themselves,” he continued.

Despite slim chances of qualification, Likuena aims to build on the positives from their first-leg showing.

Likuena squad

Goalkeepers

Tankiso Chaba (LCS), Ntsane Molise (Linare) Leluma Mofoka (Matlama).

Defenders

Rethabile Mokokoane (Matlama), Mohlomi Makhetha (LCS), Thabo Mafatle (Bantu), Mpho Hlephole (Lioli), Thabo Matšoele, Rethabile Rasethuntša (both Linare)

Midfielders

Lisema Lebokollane (Matlama), Jerry Kamela (Lioli), Lehlohonolo Fothoane, Moteloa Khemisi, Hlompho Kalake (all Bantu) Tšepo Toloane, Lehlohonolo Matsau (both LDF), Paseka Maile (Kick4Life).

Forwards

Jane Thabantšo (Matlama), Katleho Makateng (LDF), Keketso Snyders (LCS).

Tlalane Phahla