The Night's Watch

08/04/2024

Morning Forecast (08-04-2024)

TLHALOSO EA MAEMO A LEHOLIMO

Le sibathetse, hoa bata hoseng hona ka p**a libakeng tse ngata ho isa e ka ba e akaretsang le moea o fokang o le bobebe le mahareng ho hlaha leboea-bochabela. Ho ka lebelloa h**e le koahele ka ho khetha libaka ho isa le sibathela ‘me ho phole ho isa ho bata ha le ntse le phahama. Moea o ka lebelloa ho foka o le mahareng ho hlaha leboea-bochabela ‘me o ka foka ka matla ka linako tse ling. Ho na le monyetla (60%) oa p**a e itjalileng ho isa ho e akaretsang e ka khemang le lialuma.
Re ntse re lebeletse o nno pukutle moea le kajeno libakeng tse ngata 'me ho bate ho isa hosane.
LIKHOMO!!!

Lesotho Meteorological Services

02/04/2024

We are back

28/02/2024

King Moshoeshoe I didn't die, He multiplied.

SECTION 2 invites young Basotho who are actively shaping Lesotho and playing a pivotal role in building our country's future to share their story with us.

09/09/2023

In Memoriam: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (1928-2023)

By Kananelo Boloetse

The passing of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a momentous event that evokes a mix of emotions and reflections. As we bid farewell to a prominent figure in South Africa’s political and cultural landscape, it is essential to remember the full scope of his legacy.
Prince Buthelezi played a significant role in the complex tapestry of South Africa’s history. His leadership spanned the tumultuous ebbs and flows of the nation's liberation struggle, the crucial transition that ushered in South Africa’s freedom in 1994, and the establishment of its democratic dispensation. His contributions were undeniably noteworthy.
However, it is also essential to recall that Prince Buthelezi’s legacy is intertwined with a painful chapter in Lesotho’s history. It is impossible to overlook the dark shadow cast by Operation Boleas, a brutal military invasion of Lesotho orchestrated by South Africa on September 22, 1998, almost 25 years ago.
This military invasion saw the entry of 600 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) into Lesotho, purportedly in pursuit of restoring democracy and political stability.
The tragic outcome witnessed the loss of lives - nine South African soldiers, 29 members of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), and approximately 47 Basotho civilians. This was a tragedy that scarred our nation’s soul. Our streets were stained with blood, and our capital city, Maseru, was laid to waste.
Basotho’s hospitality, extended even in the darkest days of apartheid, was met with betrayal. A stark contrast to the brotherhood we once believed in.
We remember how South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela was abroad, and his deputy Thabo Mbeki was also away, leaving Minister of Home Affairs, Buthelezi, in charge. Although he stated that Mandela and Mbeki were consulted and supported the ‘military intervention’, he acknowledged that the final decision rested squarely on his shoulders.
While official statements referred to the invasion as a SADC humanitarian peacekeeping mission, it is clear that South Africa’s motivations ran deeper. The waters of our land, a treasure vital to our existence, were eyed greedily.
The claims of peacekeeping were hollow; as true peacekeepers do not descend unannounced in the early hours of dawn. Peacekeepers are identifiable, and the people of a nation are made aware of their presence.
The legacy of Prince Buthelezi, in the eyes of Basotho, will forever be tied to this painful episode in their history. It serves as a stark contrast to the hospitality extended by Lesotho to black South Africans during the apartheid era.
As we mourn Prince Buthelezi’s passing, we must remember the complexity of his legacy. It is a testament to the intricate web of historical events and their far-reaching consequences.
In this moment of reflection, let us acknowledge the pain and suffering caused by Operation Boleas, while also recognising the broader contributions of a leader who played a pivotal role in South Africa’s journey to democracy.
May Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi rest in peace, and may his legacy be a source of lessons and reflection for generations to come.

11/01/2023

VCL Financial Services and the local commercial banks will have to go to the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL) to answer criticism that their business practices are restrictive and unscrupulous.

VCL Financial Services will have to explain why it should be allowed to continue prohibiting citizens from making direct deposits into someone else M-Pesa account.

Commercial banks, on the other hand, will have to give reasons why they cannot be penalised when their ATMs remain out of cash for a certain number of hours in a month.

Mohloai Mpesi VCL Financial Services and the local commercial will have to go to the Central Bank of

24/06/2022

26/02/2022

Young woman allegedly r***d in NMDS office

Key points:
 A young woman alleges she was r***d inside NMDS office in 2019
 It is not clear whether she made a formal complaint

By Staff Writers
Maseru, Feb 25 (The Night’s Watch) – A young woman, ‘Malehloa Mathata, has disclosed on Facebook that a man working for the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) took her into his office during lunch hour and allegedly coerced her to have s*x with him.
The alleged incident occurred in 2019 when Mathata was seeking sponsorship to study at the Lesotho College of Education (LEC) formerly National Teachers Training College (NTTC).

“I remember in 2019 when I had applied to NTTC and I was struggling to get sponsorship from NMDS. I met a guy there and he told me that he was an employee, we then talked an I enjoyed our conversation. He then told me I am cute and I just laughed,” Mathata said on her Facebook.
“He asked if I had already been assisted and I said no and told him it’s been two weeks going there without getting any help. He asked me how old I was and I told him. he then asked if I’d mind giving him my number and I gave it to him,” she added.

Later that day, Mathata narrated, she received a call from this NMDS staffer asking if she would want to get help as soon as possible.
“I said yes and he asked me how much I was willing to pay. I told him that I did not have money but I can make a plan. He said he did not want money and invited me to his office to discuss how I can compensate him,” she said.
she added: “I was scared but went to meet him. He said we should go into his office; our appointment was during the lunch break. I went into the office happy that finally I will get a sponsorship.”

When they got into the office, Mathata says the man asked her to sit down and he locked the office door.
“He told me I am not going to pay but asked me talk off my clothes. I asked him why but he touched and kissed me. I was angry. He then told me that he wants to f**k an albino and I decided to agree. My hear hurts when I remember this day. However, I am a grown up now and I am able to stand up for myself. We are harassed by public servants. I'll continue later," she concluded.

While Mathata has admitted that she decided to agree when this NMDS employee said he wanted to have s*x with a woman with albinism, The Night's Watch considers this to be s*xual exploitation.

03/02/2022

OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER

Dear Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro

Please accept my regards on behalf of all people, young and old, across the country who are actively looking for jobs.
On Saturday, 29 January 2022, Independent Online (IOL) reported that young South Africans spend an average of R1,293.82 per month looking for work. This, Independent Online reported, is according to a Survey by Open Dialogue.
A total of 2,200 participants took part in the survey. The R1,293.82 is split between transport costs, internet access costs and other costs such as printing and food.

While no similar survey has ever been conducted in Lesotho, it is highly likely that unemployed Basotho spent as much money as South Africans looking for jobs.
In Lesotho, the cost of looking for a job could also include money for bribes and money for buying weekly newspapers as some employers only advertise their job vacancies in the newspapers.
Allegations of cash or s*x for jobs are widespread. There are also employment scams targeting desperate job seekers. Many have lost thousands of maloti to nefarious scammers.

As one of the people in this country who are actively looking for employment, I can attest that the cost of doing so is high and is one of the factors keeping young people, especially those living far away from the economic hub, Maseru, locked out of the labour market.
Because of the high cost of seeking a job, many young Basotho have inadvertently become discouraged and given up looking for work.

An assessment done by the World Bank in 2021 found that youth unemployment in Lesotho is among the highest in the world, and three times higher than the average rate observed in other lower-middle-income countries.
The findings and recommendations of the assessment are contained in a report titled: Lesotho Social Protection Programs and Systems Review.

Apart from the very high unemployment rate, the World Bank observed that the other particularly disturbing trend was that more and more people had become discouraged and given up looking for work.
It noted that half of the working age pop**ation is not participating in the labour market (does not have a job nor is looking for one), constituting a huge untapped potential for economic growth.
Lack of productive employment, World Bank further stated, results in high vulnerability to poverty, with approximately half of the youth living below the poverty line.

While the World Bank did not mention why young people have given up looking for work, I wish to put it to you Honourable Prime Minister that having a weekly budget allocated solely to looking for a job when you are not earning anything, is a harsh struggle.
Some employers, most of which have head offices in Maseru, require applicants to hand deliver applications in envelopes at their offices.

This means a person living in Mafeteng like myself, has to spend about M110 on transport alone to hand-deliver an application in Maseru. Those living in other districts such as Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing, Mokhotlong, etc., spend more.
Some studies have shown that most households in rural areas are classified as severely food insecure. Unemployed graduates from these households have to make difficult decisions between funding the costs of seeking employment and affording basic necessities.

You can imagine how difficult it is to decide whether to use M110 to hand-deliver an application in Maseru for a job you might not even get, or buy a 12.5kg of maize meal (M75), 375ml of cooking oil (M15), a 500g packet of salt (M5) and a large cabbage head (M15).
This makes the chances of finding a job slimmer, despite your excellence, which in turn makes it hard for the unemployed, especially those living far from Maseru, to escape their conditions of poverty.

For those who live in Maseru, the process of finding a new job is relatively seamless. This perpetuates inequality.
Finding employment is critical for the youth living in the districts to move out of poverty as well as to be able to cope with a broad range of potential shocks to their wellbeing.

There are ways in which government can help unemployed Basotho and I propose them below.
Since 2000, the government has put in place and scaled up a lifecycle approach to social protection systems as part of its commitment to protect the poor.
According to the World Bank, Lesotho has developed social protection system that makes regular transfers to its beneficiaries, covering vulnerabilities throughout the life cycle.

As a result, Lesotho now spends approximately 6.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on protection – a considerable share compared to most other countries regionally and globally.
However, most of the overall social protection spending goes to old-age pensions, primary school feeding, and tertiary bursaries.
Government should as a matter of urgency, implement M1,500 per month job-seekers grant to help job-seekers fund their costs of seeking employment.

The eligibility criteria for the grant should limit the number of beneficiaries to only the unemployed individuals aged 18 to 59.
This will ensure that each Loti spent in transfers goes directly to the poor.

Also, linking the eligibility to employment status will ensure that the support is only temporary and falls away when beneficiaries graduate out of unemployment. This will avoid entrenching the culture of dependency.

Social spending is not wasteful expense. In fact, direct cash transfer programs have been proven to be effective and fast response measures for poverty alleviation.
In this country, spending on social protection programs has substantially reduced poverty and inequality.

World Bank estimates social assistance transfers reduced the poverty headcount rate by an estimated 6.5 percent and the poverty gap by 21.9 percent. It also estimates that social transfers reduced Lesotho’s Gini coefficient by an estimated 7.8 percent.

There is no denying that job creation and economic growth are key long-term goals but they do not answer the question of immediate crises. The argument that government should only focus on attaining the long-term goals is untenable.
Distant water does not quench immediate thirst.

While implementing job seekers grant, government should also put in place measures to ensure that the cost of seeking employment does not escalate further.

I therefore respectfully urge you the Honourable Prime Minister to ensure that relevant Ministers make regulations or expedite the enactment of a laws that will compel all employers to:

• Advertise all job openings online – when vacancies are only advertised in newspapers, the information remains unknown to job seekers in rural areas who do not have access to newspapers putting them at the disadvantage to their peers living in urban areas. Government must also advertise vacancies online.

• Allow for email or online application for every job opening – allowing job seekers to send their applications by email or to apply online will eliminate the need to hand-deliver an application in an envelope at the office. This will in turn eliminate the associated transport and printing costs.

• Include the vacant position’s salary and benefits on the job advertisement – this will make job seekers more informed before they could apply for the advertised vacancy. Some job seekers may decide not to apply for positions which a pay a salary below a certain amount. Including the salary range in the advertisement will save them effort, resources and time. Actually, it is not fair that employers list the qualifications and skills they require the potential employees to possess but do not disclose how much they are willing to pay for those qualifications, skills and experience. It is common to find job adverts explicitly mentioning that applicants should possess a driving licence, have reliable transportation and automobile insurance. It costs to acquire these things. That is why it is important that employers also include the salary range in the advertisement so that candidates can decide whether the job is worth applying for or not.

• Increase timeframe for validity of certified documents – certified copies currently have a short period of validity. This causes headaches for job seekers as it means they have to make new copies and travel to police stations to certify their certificates and transcripts every now and then. Documents that are certified as true copies of the original should be valid for a year.

• Pay new employees’ first month salary in fortnight installments to allow them to cover rent, transport and food costs – working for the whole first month of employment without cash sometimes places considerable burden on new employees. In some cases, women become victims of s*xual exploitation by their bosses and colleagues who offer them money for rent, lunch, transport and other basic items such as electricity and airtime in exchange for s*x.

Prime Minister, government should also consider collaborating with the private sector to create a job seekers database.
This will be a database of prescreened job seekers, with all their academic qualifications, transcripts, CVs and other relevant documentation attached that can be accessed and utilized for free by employers to search for suitable candidates to fill vacancies in their companies.
This can save both job seekers and employers resources, times and money.

I hope that the above gives you the Honourable Prime Minister some food for thought and I am eagerly looking forward to hearing that you have heeded this plea.

Yours Respectfully,
Kananelo Boloetse

30/01/2022

NKAKU KABI WINS ABC LEADERSHIP BATTLE

By Kananelo Boloetse

In a humbling rebuke to Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro, the All Basotho Convention (ABC) on Saturday chose Nkaku Kabi as it new leader.
This victory for Kabi positions him to become Prime Minister if ABC wins the upcoming national elections expected to be held in September this year.

After a fierce and tight race, the ABC delegates voted by a margin of 723 ballots for Kabi and 609 ballots for Majoro, currently Lesotho's Prime Minister.

Majoro was appointed ABC deputy leader in 2021. While he has failed to become the party's leader, his term as the country's Prime Minister does not end until next general election.

Former Prime Minister Thomas Thabane who has led ABC since its formation in October 2006, is stepping down and leaving a number of problems for Kabi, but one above all: a divided party that is associated with incompetence in government and corruption. It has been losing its supporters.

Former ABC spokesperson, Tefo Mapesela, broke away from the party in 2021 and started a new party, Basotho Progressive Party (BPP).
Days after Mapesela left, former ABC deputy leader Professor Nqosa Mahao also served divorce papers on the party and formed Basotho Action Party (BAP). Mapesela and Mahao had earlier been sacked from cabinet as Ministers by Majoro. Tensions had been simmering for a long time in the ABC.

They were not the only victims of Majoro, Kabi was also later expelled from cabinet. Instead of breaking away to form his own party, he challenged Majoro for a leadership position and has won.

Despite its disappointments and shortcomings, ABC is still considered a favourite to perform well in the next general election. This is largely because of Thabane's staunch supporters who still intimately remember his track record which they say was good when he was a Minister from 1998 to 2006.

23/08/2021

38 signatures are needed!

20/08/2021

BREAKING NEWS
Maseru 20 August 2021 The police have arrested three organisers of a march against M5000 tax free petrol allowance for MPs that was supposed to go on today at 9am to 1pm from Sefikeng sa Moshoeshoe to parliament minutes ago.
The arrested include veteran journalist Kananelo Boloetse, former journalist Motsamai Mokotjo and Jane
This is a developing story updates will follow. NW

18/08/2021

YOUNG PEOPLE IN LESOTHO SAY M5000 FOR MPs MUST FALL

By Staff Writers

Maseru (The Night’s Watch) Aug 18 – Young people in Lesotho will on Friday, August 20, march to parliament in Maseru to demand that Deputy Prime Minister Mathibeli Mokhothu who is also leader of the house revoke the controversial Members of Parliament (Amendment of schedule) Regulations of 2020.

The regulations which were passed by the National Assembly in March this year, entitle Lesotho Members of Parliament to M5,000 monthly tax-free petrol allowance.

Organizers of the protest have called participants to meet at the park near the statue of King Moshoeshoe I, the father of the nation, on the hill overlooking Lesotho’s capital Maseru.
King Moshoeshoe I was a man of remarkable political and diplomatic skill.

The attributes that he left as legacy of leadership include understanding that leadership is about concern for others.
That leadership is about compassion, caring beyond your own concerns as the leader and being involved and engaged.

Today King Moshoeshoe I’s dream for Lesotho is in ruins.

Youth unemployment in Lesotho is amongst the highest in the world, and three times higher than the average rate observed in other lower-middle-income countries, World Bank reported recently.

The picture is even more dismal when one accounts for inactive or discouraged youth: almost 29 percent of adolescents (aged 15- 19) and 44 percent of young adults (aged 20-35) are not in employment or education.

A lack of productive employment has resulted in high vulnerability to poverty, with approximately half of the youth living below the poverty line.

Education is abysmal.

It remains unclear how many participants the Friday protest may draw, however, it is likely to be in the hundreds.
The organizers wrote a letter to the Clerk of National Assembly, advocate Lebohang Fine Maema, yesterday informing him about their protest.

“We, the undersigned, write to you to formally inform you that we have organized a march on Friday, 20th August 2021 from 9:00am to 1:00pm, to deliver a petition to the Leader of the House, Honourable Mathibeli Mokhothu, urging him to revoke the Members of Parliament (Amendment of schedule) Regulations of 2020,” reads the letter.

It adds that: “On 7th May 2021, we were informed by your good self that Mr Motanyane had received our letter and duly referred it to the relevant portfolio committee.”

The youth say in their letter that while still awaiting further communication from parliament, they learnt with shock and disappointment that government had pushed forward and paid Members of Parliament their allowances.

“At this moment, Sir, we believe that expression of opposition to these allowances by way of marching to parliament and handing our petition to the Leader of the House is the only surest way to make our voices heard,” reads the letter.

The concerned young people are led by Motsamai Mokotjo and Thuso Leina, among others.

Members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) will almost certainly monitor the protest and may try to break it but they have been warned against doing so by a group of Basotho in diaspora.

In a statement on Monday, the diaspora group said: “We urge the government of Lesotho to respect our people’s right to dissent and participate in a peaceful protest on Friday, 20th August 2020, and ensure that the human rights of protesters are protected.”
The group added that: “No person should be held criminally responsible for the mere act of organizing or participating in a protest.”

It indicated that where a protester or a group of protesters engage in acts of violence, those protesters should be removed from the protest and the broader protest be allowed to continue peacefully to the parliament to deliver their petition to the Leader of the House.

“We emphasize that every person has the inalienable right – a right that cannot be taken away – to take part in a protest, provided that it is peaceful. We underline the importance of enabling Basotho to exercise their civil and political rights peacefully,” said Basotho in diaspora. NW