SECHABA MOKHETHI A request by Lesotho’s Mothae kimberlite mine to sell diamonds to its major owner and operator, the Australian-based Lucapa Diamond Company, presents a chance for pricing manipulation, warns Antwerp Belgium based researcher. Hans Merket, researcher for Belgium-based research centre, International Peace Information Service, told MNN Centre for Investigative Journalism that,
Author: LESCIJ LESCIJ
Covid-19 scourge exposes Mapholaneng water crisis
KEISO MOHLOBOLI Covid-19 has shined a harsh spotlight on the hardships faced by Mapholaneng community as a result of the government’s failure to live up to promises of its 2007 policy that entitled “access to a sustainable supply of potable water” to all Basotho. Many of the country’s citizens living in rural
LCA officials quit jobs to avoid probe
MAMELLO MOSAEFANE Lesotho Communication Authority (LCA)’s Chief Finance Officer ‘Masebolaoa Sebolaoa and Finance Manager ‘Maseoli Sekoati recently quit their job at the start of investigations into the alleged mismanagement of the authority’s funds. Chief Finance Officer ‘Masebolaoa Sebolaoa, Finance Manager ‘Maseoli Sekoati and the Human Resource Manager ‘Mathabo Sebilo allegedly mismanaged the
Mapholaneng teen pregnancy cases jump: LHDA accused
ROSE MOREMOHOLO The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has come under fire over a sharp increase in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases – including HIV/Aids – in the town closest to ongoing construction work on the Polihali Dam. Realeboha Tlhabi, nursing officer at the health centre in the town of Mapholaneng
Diaspora bursary repayments could salvage Lesotho revenue crisis
…and avail much needed resources to social development and poverty alleviation programs. By Billy Ntaote When COVID-19 started to spread across the world, I was working with a French filmmaker on production of a Film on Hunger in Lesotho. Being a city dweller and frequently seeing reports by international organizations of the hunger
Emergence of Covid-preneurship in Lesotho
…as looting spree thrives at a cost of people’s lives THUSO MOSABALA The emergence of novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) has a negative economic consequence in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, stressing meagre resources and for the destitute, it has gnawed down at the roots of their existence while Covid-preneurs thrived like a
Letšeng mine faced with COVID-19 infection scare
Mine downplays high risks amid deaths Matiisetso Mosala Lesotho’s highest quality diamond producer, Letšeng Diamond Mine is allegedly faced with a challenge of containing the spread of COVID-19 amongst workers contracted by various companies on its mining site in Mokhotlong. The spread of the virus at the mine has reportedly led to the
Top-ranked bidder battles LHDA over tender withdrawal
Favouritism and abuse of power alleged in ‘M396m’ dam contract SECHABA MOKHETHI A construction venture is suing the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) after it withdrew a multimillion-maloti contract for works on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project for the second time. The joint venture, DYNAP, argues that the second withdrawal of the contract,
Co-op Lesotho flips its stance on Strafor…withdraws lawsuit
MATIISETSO MOSALA Co-op Lesotho has backpedaled on its position against Strafor, withdrawing a lawsuit challenging farmers eviction from its commercial land and buildings after being arm-twisted to sublease contested property to the multinational. Initially farmers were evicted from Co-op Lesotho’s property after a unilateral agreement was entered into by the Ministry of
Lesotho expropriates farmers’ land, gifts it to a multinational
MATIISETSO MOSALA The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has evicted farmers’ organisations from a commercial site in Ha Ntsi, Nazareth and gifted it to a Singapore multinational grain producer, in a controversial move slated as undermining development of indigenous farmers. The land in question covers an area of 3909m². It is
