…in fatal trolley dispute Kabelo Masoabi THE High Court sitting at Tšifa-li-Mali has convicted 26-year-old street vendor, Serame Mafike, of culpable homicide for the fatal stabbing of fellow vendor, Lechesa Sethumatha, during a violent dispute over a crockery trolley in Maputsoe in November 2023. Mafike, of Ha ’Mathata in Maputsoe, was found guilty by Acting Justice Tšooana Lesaoana this week after the court ruled that although he acted in self-defence, he used excessive force that unlawfully caused Mr Sethumatha’s death. He had initially pleaded not guilty to a murder charge, but the prosecution rejected his plea. The fatal confrontation occurred on 18 November 2023 in the busy Metro business area in Maputsoe, where both men operated as self-employed street vendors. Evidence before the court showed that the conflict stemmed from a dispute over ownership and payment for a crockery trolley. Court proceedings revealed that a few days before the incident,...

  IN a country where public officials are often accused of silence, compromise or selective outrage, Lesotho is fortunate to still have a few institutions willing to speak truth to power without fear or favour. Two of the most outstanding examples today are the offices of the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman. At a time when corruption, maladministration and impunity threaten to hollow out the foundations of governance, Auditor-General Mathabo Makenete and Ombudsman Advocate Tlotliso Polaki have emerged as rare public servants prepared to confront abuse of power head-on — even when doing so places them on a collision course with powerful political and bureaucratic interests. They deserve their flowers now, while they can still smell them. For years, Basotho have become accustomed to public reports that expose shocking levels of waste, incompetence and corruption, only for those reports to gather dust while nothing changes. Yet despite this culture of indifference,...

  Moorosi Tsiane THE government is facing a M3.6 million lawsuit from a local motor spares and diagnostics company that claims it has been storing 11 abandoned government vehicles at its premises for years without payment. Mobitech (Pty) Ltd has approached the High Court seeking an order compelling the government and several ministries to pay M3,609,536 for specialised diagnostic services and accumulated storage charges allegedly incurred after the vehicles were left at the company’s premises. The company is also seeking interest on the amount at a rate of 18.5 percent per annum. In court papers filed by Mobitech director, Tšiu Mokapela, the company says the dispute dates back to 2021 when the government engaged Fleet Management Services (Pty) Ltd to oversee its fleet of business vehicles. According to Mr Mokapela, Fleet Management Services was contracted to provide fleet-related services including vehicle leasing, maintenance, fuel tracking, driver safety management, accident management...

…as SA court exposes more “rot” Moorosi Tsiane FUGITIVE former CGM Group director, Madhav Vasant Dalvi, has suffered another major legal setback, this time in the High Court of South Africa, which ordered the forfeiture of three Ladybrand properties linked to what the court described as unlawful activities and laundering of textile giant’s monies. The ruling comes barely a fortnight after the Court of Appeal of Lesotho dismissed an appeal by Dalvi-linked company Denimagic and effectively confirmed what the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) has described as a sophisticated scheme to siphon millions from CGM Group and its subsidiaries Presitex and now defunct United Clothing. In the latest judgment delivered on 20 May 2026, South African Acting Judge Thompson ordered that three properties in Ladybrand — 37 Mauershoek Street, 9 Collin Street and 13 Prinsloo Street — be forfeited to the South African state under the Prevention of...

…as ACP Mokete vows to restore normalcy Rethabile Pitso THE Department of Traffic has suspended vehicle registration services following the depletion of police clearance books required in the registration process. The clearance books are used by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) to issue certificates confirming that vehicles or their parts have not been stolen. As the certificates are a mandatory requirement for registration, the disruption has effectively brought vehicle registration services to a standstill. One frustrated motorist told the Sunday Express that the suspension had already lasted for three weeks, with no clear indication of when services would resume. Ministry of Public Works and Transport Public Relations Officer, Ntumeleng Ntšekhe, explained that the vehicle registration process is jointly handled by the Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL), the CID and the Department of Traffic through a “One Stop” facility established to simplify the registration process. She said although the three institutions operate...

…as Matekane tracks towards his 62 000 employment pledge Mohloai Mpesi IN an ambitious bid to fulfil his long-standing public pledge of employing 62 000 youths, Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s government says it has so far employed more than 43 000 young Basotho. The progress report on youth employment was presented before the National Assembly on Thursday by the Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, Pitso Lesaoana. The report comes amid continued public concern over rising unemployment and the government’s strategy to create jobs for young people. The concerns intensified last year when thousands of unemployed youths flocked to Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) recruitment centres in desperate attempts to secure employment opportunities. In response, Mr Matekane pledged to create 62 000 jobs for Basotho youths and subsequently declared youth unemployment a national disaster. Presenting the update, Mr Lesaoana said government had made significant progress, with 43 239 youths already...

  Moroke Sekoboto THE Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has raised the repo rate by 25 basis points from 6.5 percent to 6.75 percent. The Committee said the adjustment was necessary to maintain a modest interest rate differential of 25 basis points relative to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB)’s repo rate of 7.0 percent per annum. It said the differential was sufficient to sustain the exchange rate peg while supporting domestic economic activity. The decision comes amid heightened global uncertainty caused by multiple shocks, with the escalating Middle East conflict between the United States and Iran taking centre stage. The repo rate is the interest rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks, thereby influencing borrowing costs on vehicles, mortgages, personal loans and other financial products. A lower repo rate generally translates into lower borrowing costs for consumers. CBL Governor, Dr Maluke...

…at Moshoeshoe I Airport …syndicate sent back home Moorosi Tsiane TWO South African pilots have been intercepted at Moshoeshoe I International Airport after allegedly attempting to transport 500 kilograms of cannabis through Lesotho. The pilots, identified as Pirx Albertus and Merwe Reinart, were flying a Federal Airlines aircraft, registration ZS-PIR, which allegedly landed unlawfully at Moshoeshoe I International Airport on Thursday. Sources close to the investigation claim the aircraft had arrived from Thailand carrying a consignment of cannabis allegedly destined for South Africa. According to a source familiar with the matter, the latest seizure forms part of a larger operation involving four consignments, each weighing 500 kilograms. The latest shipment alone is estimated to be worth about M5 million. “The Federal Airlines aircraft landed unlawfully at Moshoeshoe I Airport on 28 May 2026. The pilots, Pirx Albertus and Merwe Reinart, are both South African nationals. They were carrying 500 kilograms...

…to boost voluntary tax compliance Moroke Sekoboto THE Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) has turned to digital content creators to transform how tax compliance is communicated across the country, turning a routine legal obligation into a vibrant campaign promoting patriotism and national development. Speaking at the inaugural awards ceremony of the Tax Filing Season Share and Win campaign held yesterday at the RSL Social Club, RSL Acting Commissioner General, Rakokoana Makoa, said the campaign ran from 8 to 14 May. Mr Makoa said the initiative deliberately moved away from traditional corporate messaging in favour of dynamic and creative social media partnerships. Recognising the growing shift in how people consume information, RSL engaged local creatives to simplify complex tax procedures and broaden public understanding. The campaign focused on educating Basotho about who is required to file taxes, how to file, the importance of timely payments, and the consequences of non-compliance. “Today is...

…leaves 750 workers jobless …as mining giant is forced into care and maintenance …due to escalating fuel costs Seithati Motsoeneng A crippling diesel bill that has ballooned from M11 million to as much as M28 million per month has forced Kao Diamond Mine to suspend operations, sending more than 750 workers home and delivering a major blow to Lesotho’s mining sector. Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD), the operator of the Butha-Buthe mine, announced this week that the mine will be placed under care and maintenance from 1 July after a combination of soaring fuel costs, depressed global diamond prices, growing competition from laboratory-grown diamonds and mounting capital requirements made continued operations financially impossible. Namakwa Diamonds Limited owns a 75 percent stake while the government of Lesotho owns the remaining 25 percent share. The mine, which consumes about 600 000 litres of diesel every month, saw its fuel costs surge by almost...