Moroke Sekoboto
MEMBERS of Lesotho’s trade unions, joined by sections of the public and opposition political parties, marched through Maseru this week to deliver a petition outlining their grievances to Prime Minister Sam Matekane.
The protest was organised by the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL), Construction, Mining, Quarrying and Allied Workers Union (CMQ), United Textile Employees (UNITE), Lesotho Workers Association (LEWA), National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTU), and Lentsoe La Sechaba Workers Union. They were joined by street vendors, youth groups, and members of opposition parties such as Democratic Congress and United Africans Transformation (UAT).
Representing the unions, Sam Mokhele expressed disappointment that the Prime Minister was not present to personally receive their petition. Although representatives were sent on his behalf, he said the unions were not informed beforehand about the reason for Mr Matekane’s absence.
Among the issues raised in their letter of demands include the government to enact laws protecting factory workers at their workplaces, work to ensure the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to safeguard factory jobs, address the country’s high unemployment rate, follow up on factory investors who left the country without paying employees their terminal benefits, and, if unsuccessful, have the government itself pay those benefits.
“The government must implement regular labour inspections, empower the Directorate of Dispute Prevention and Resolution (DDPR), the Labour Court, and the Labour Appeal Court, and negotiate with the US government to reduce tariffs to 10% as it did with our competitor nations to retain investors,” said Mr Mokhele.
“We need a response immediately.”
The petition also urged the government to direct the Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) to reduce electricity costs, suggesting that M20 should buy 20 units of power.
Other grievances included the need to speed up passport processing and for Lesotho’s Parliament to engage its South African counterpart to address the harassment of Basotho workers in South Africa.
Mr Mokhele further criticised the government for evicting street vendors without providing alternative trading sites.
“We demand that the government allocate proper trading spaces for vendors. If that fails, we will return to our former trading areas until a suitable place is provided,” he said.
He also accused the government of failing to enforce Section 34 of the Business Licensing and Registration Regulations of 2021, which protects indigenous Basotho businesses, while instead extending foreign nationals’ trading licences.
“The government must ensure that businesses bank locally and pay taxes. You declared youth unemployment a state of emergency in July, promising 62,000 jobs and labour export opportunities, but nothing has materialised. We now demand a M1000 unemployment grant by 1 December, failing which we will march again on 12 December,” he warned.
The unions also called for an end to government interference in security agencies and demanded the release of Basotho Covenant Movement (BCM) leader Dr Ts’epo Lipholo and former army commander Tlali Kamoli, who they noted is about to spend his ninth Christmas in prison.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Prime Minister, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Limpho Tau, who was accompanied by the Ministers of Trade, Industry and Business Development, and Labour and Employment, commended the peaceful nature of the march.
“The petitioners have exercised their democratic rights. The Prime Minister will receive the letter as it is, and feedback will be provided to the signatories,” Mr Tau said.
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