The property in question included stamps, flags, constituency records and subscriptions cards and money.

Arguing the case before the Independent Electoral Commission Tribunal, the LCD had showed that the seizing of the said property had negatively affected their campaigning process among others.

LCD had complained that DC retained their property in 20 constituencies. One of these constituencies, Korokoro however resolved the matter by bringing the said property while the case was being heard.

The Tribunal ruled that DC be prohibited from campaigning in all the 19 constituencies in question for a period of seven days with effect from Wednesday.

Chairperson of the Tribunal, Advocate Sakoane Sakoane said in the beginning of the case the DC attended the hearing, but decided to stop attending the hearings.

He said based on the evidence led by the LCD, which also went unchallenged, the tribunal found the DC guilty as charged.

The constituencies which the DC is prohibited from campaigning from Wednesday are Tsoelike, Qacha’s Nek, Lebakeng, Moyeni, Tele, Maletsunyane, Kolo, Makhaleng, Hlotse, Maama, Machache, Thaba-Bosiu, Lithabaneg, Maseru, Khubetsoana, Thetsane, Thupakubu, Malimong and Mechachane.

Maseru – the Secretary General of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) says despite the challenges they encountered in securing transport to ferry their members to attend the last rally before the coming general elections, they are certain the rally will continue as expected.

This Mrs. Keketso Rants’o stated in an interview with LENA where she said though they did not manage to find buses to carry their followers, they have secured an alternative transport such as trucks and taxis.

‘We raised the issue with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) complaining about lack of transport in the country and have asked them to allow us to hire buses from from South Africa, so the plea is still on their table,’ she stated.

She said they are hoping to get response as soon as possible from IEC so that they begin with arrangements to hire the buses.

Due to lack of transport, political parties such as Lesotho People’s Congress and Popular Front for Democracy held their final rallies last week Saturday.

Democratic Congress, Lesotho Workers Party, Basotho National Party, All Basotho Convention and the Lesotho Congress for Democracy will hold their last rallies on May 20.

This has been confirmed by the District Electoral Officer (DEO) in Maseru, Mr. Motlohi Sekoala in an interview on Tuesday.

Mr. Sekoala said the ballot papers will be distributed under heavy police guard to ensure maximum safety during the exercise.

He said there are about 970 advanced voters in 18 Maseru constituencies who are expected to cast their votes after applying as advanced electors.

”The advanced electors will vote at their respective constituencies except those who are working in Maseru but have registered in their respective constituencies will vote at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre,” he added.

The DEO said the early distribution of ballot papers is a pre cautionary measure to avoid delay of election material reaching their destination in time.

Moreover, he said trainings are already under way for party agents as well as chiefs who will be working on Saturday.

He said people will have to produce their registration cards or passports even official witnesses if their names appear on the voters roll who will be allowed to vote as advanced electors.

There are 18 political parties registered with IEC that will contest the May 26 general polls. -Lena

Thaba-Tseka – Basotho National Party leader, Chief Thesele ‘Maseribane has promised to review public servants’ salaries.

This he said during a pre-election political rally in Thaba-Tseka on Sunday.

Chief Maseribane said Lesotho public servants salaries are a shame to the country saying the government employees are forever indebted to money lenders as their salaries fail to cater for all their needs.

Among other things, he said job creation, improvement of agriculture, and the education system of Lesotho are some of the party’s priorities.

Speaking about the education system, he explained that the country’s educational system failed to yield individuals who can create jobs for themselves and not rely on the government to employ them.

He also spoke about creating Basotho Development Bank which he said will operate like the former Agric Bank where Basotho including livestock farmers will easily get loans to improve their businesses and livelihoods.

”The bank will serve to improve the businesses of Basotho as they will invest, and borrow money from the bank with low interests,” said Chief ‘Maseribane.

He however urged his followers to show up in large numbers in all polling stations across the country and elect the BNP for the betterment of their livelihoods.

The BNP candidate for Thaba-Tseka constituency is Mr. Masheeane Raphoolo. LENA

In an interview, LUCT Academic Staff Union (LUCTASU) Public Relations Officer Mr. Malefetsane Nchaka said the lecturers were served with final warnings before commencing with their work last week Monday.

He said they consider this as a consolation after the institution had dismissed three lecturers, adding that the number of suspended lecturers has been reduced to six.

”We have just realised that the issue of suspended lecturers is politially motivated,” he said.

He further added that as a result, there is no other remedy to the issue unless they can get political intervention.

In an interview with LENA, the university’s Corporate Secretary Advocate Tefo Macheli stated that he cannot respond to the allegations as they are internal.

”The disciplinary meetings are within the University and according to an individual employment contract we are not allowed to disclose any information pertaining to staff constracts,” he said

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology has since been on the spotlight due to a series of strikes involving students and management, and last year the University witnessed a strike involving the staff which led to suspension of some lecturers.

Maseru – The Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture Mrs. ‘Mannete Ramaili, says the National Assembly Electoral Act 2011 stipulates that it is against the law to open any premises for sale of intoxicating liquor on the elections day.

The Minister further showed that the sale of intoxisating liquor is prohibited in a constituency in which the elections are being held or at any place outside the constituency that is within four kilometers of any voting station within the constituency.

This she stated in a press briefing on Monday where she said as the Minister whose office is responsible for issuing liquor licenses, she felt the need to make business community aware of what is expected of them in the forthcoming local elections.

Mrs. Ramaili said business community especially liquor sellers have to close their business on May 26 to allow for smooth operation on elections day.

The Minister said the only people to be offered services are tourists as they normally visit the country during holidays.

She urged every registered person to act responsibly by doing what is right.

The Minister said the penalty for not abiding by the law is six months in jail or a fine of M500 which she said are still deliberating on it with the Independent Electoral Commission to amend the law.

The General Elections are scheduled for May 26. LENA

MASERU- A Mafeteng man suspected of gunning down his mother-in-law in 2007 yesterday appeared in the High Court facing a charge of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Khafa Raphoka, who is a former security guard, is alleged to have shot and killed ’Mahlalefang Mokhele—the mother of his estranged wife ’Mapaseka Mokhele—at the premises of the now-defunct P and T Textile Clothing Factory in Mafeteng, on February 19, 2007.

Yesterday, the court heard ’Mapaseka’s testimony, as she narrated how Raphoka had arrived at her workplace at lunchtime on the fateful day, and started insulting her and her mother, before taking out a pistol and shooting ’Mahlalefang, who was present at the scene, in the head.

Led by the crown counsel Advocate Hlalefang Motinyane, ’Mapaseka said: “The accused arrived at lunchtime while I was together with my mother. I could see from a distance that he was fuming and as he drew nearer, he started insulting me, while also making obscene references to my mother.”

’Mapaseka said the accused then pulled out a gun and shot her mother.

“I bolted from the scene as I thought I was going to be next. He chased me and eventually got hold of me, and we wrestled.”

She further told the court it was during the wrestling that she passed out and eventually woke up in the Mafeteng Government Hospital.

But in defence, Raphoka indicated he had shot the now-deceased by accident, adding through his lawyer, Advocate Tšeliso Mokoko, that he was only attempting to scare ’Mapaseka’s colleagues, who were against his confronting his wife.

Mokoko said: “My client says your mother had called your coworkers to gang-up against him as he drew nearer to amicably solve the matrimonial disputes you were having at the time.”

According to Mokoko, his client had no intention to shoot his mother-in -law, adding that was why he had shot himself after realizing the woman was dead.

The case continues on June 11 before Justice ’Maseshophe Hlajoane.

MASERU – The High Court on Monday this week passed a default judgment against Father Daniel Rantle of the Maseru Methodist Church, effectively barring him from entering the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) premises in Semonkong.

Rantle, who is accused of “creating dissension and strife” within the MCSA, was dragged to court alongside two other Methodist officials, namely Stephen Maphelle and Fusi Lesaane, by The All for Africa’s Children Today in Lesotho Trust, which operates the Semonkong Children’s Centre at the Semonkong Hospital site.

According to court papers filed in the High Court last year, the trustees—Jill Kinsey, Catherine Tara Kinsey Baanen, Pieter Cornelis Hendrik Baanen, Grant Strugnell, Martha ’Mathesele Makoae, Lebesele Letsie and Vera Lucia Ramos—had wanted the court to interdict the respondents (Rantle and others) from “holding a meeting on Saturday March 5 2011, or any other date, at the premises of the hospital site in Semonkong, which is registered in the name of MCSA and occupied by first applicants (the trustees) where they run and control an orphanage.”

The applicants also wanted the court to prohibit the respondents from, “trespassing, entering or being present at the aforesaid orphanage premises, and disrupting the peace at or near the said premises.”

They further wanted the respondents to be barred from interfering with the activities of the trustees, “or any of them at the orphanage and that the respondents be prohibited from making any demands or threats to the applicants or any of them, and from communicating with the applicants in any way other than in writing through an attorney.”

Chief Mateketa Mofalali of Semonkong, the Police Commissioner and Attorney General, also appear as fourth, fifth and sixth respondents, respectively, in this matter, with the trustees also requesting that Rantle, Maphelle and Lesaane be ordered to pay the costs of the application.

According to the papers, there is a bitter dispute between Rantle and the MCSA. The trustees say Rantle used to be “an ordained minister acting as the Circuit Superintendent of the Maseru Circuit. He was expelled from the ministry of the MCSA Church during 2006, following disciplinary proceedings on charges of creating dissension and strife in the MCSA Church.”

The papers indicate Rantle sought to establish a rival church in Lesotho, where he allegedly claimed to be the overall head of the church in Lesotho.

The papers further indicate Rantle reportedly made death threats to the MCSA ministers and office-bearers in Lesotho, and disrupted the church’s meetings and worship services.

“He rejected the authority of the MCSA Church’s Presiding Bishop (the general leader of MCSA) and the Bishop of the Northern Free State and Lesotho District, and collected and or attempted to collect money from churches in the other Circuits of the MCSA Church in Lesotho,” the court papers further indicate.

But in his opposing affidavit filed on April 4 last year, Rantle denied the charges, arguing he was rightfully in charge of the MCSA.

However, Advocate Hjamar Worker, for the applicants, told the court on Monday this week the respondents had been given until March 18 last year, to file their opposing affidavits, but to no avail.

Rantle, Worker added, had instead filed the opposing affidavits the following month, despite the court order.

Worker further told the court the respondents had also failed to submit their heads of argument in the past 18 months.

When passing the default judgment in the absence of the defence counsel, Justice Tšeliso Monaphathi highlighted the case had dragged for too long.

He said: “It has been about 18 months now without the respondents filing their heads of argument in this matter. It seems every time they should do so, they have an excuse. I now grant judgement as prayed by the applicants.”

MASERU- Chinese firm GEO Engineering Corporation has begun constructing the 42-kilometre Mokhotlong-Sani Pass road at a cost of M741million.

The road was designed by Aurecon Lesotho, through funding from the South African government.

But the road construction—which started on May 2—is being bankrolled by the Lesotho government and expected to take 36 months.

Announcing the commencement of the road project on Tuesday this week, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Mr Lebohang Phooko, said: “The project is part of bilateral cooperation between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa, and the contractor has already started mobilising equipment and staff.”

Phooko further said the government was also reconstructing the Oxbow to Mapholang road.

“The design of the reconstruction was undertaken by Roughton International, and was completed in October 2010, under funding by the World Bank.

“The construction contract was awarded to COOPERATIVA MURATORI CEMENTISI for M400 million, with the work commencing in March, and expected to take 36 months.”

Meanwhile, Phooko said rehabilitation of the 68.8-km Maseru– Mafeteng road, which began in September 2009, would be completed by next Friday—May 18.

“The delay experienced in filling potholes was mainly due to the non-availability of bitumen,” said Phooko.

…but the LRA says it would take time for Lesotho to introduce a similar automated customs declaration system

By Mapamela Khanyela

MASERU-The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is to introduce its new automated customs declaration system at two more Lesotho/South Africa border posts, an official announced on Wednesday this week.

South Africa last month computerised customs declaration at the Caledonspoort and Qacha’s Nek border posts, replacing lengthy processes of manual paperwork, as part of an ambitious modernisation programme.

Under the new system, SARS would no longer be accepting paper declarations from traders, with all documents now being submitted electronically.

This week, a SARS executive, Mr Beyers Theron told the business community at a seminar held in Maseru that the automated procedure would be implemented on the South African side of the Ficksburg and Maseru border posts on May 19 and June 2, respectively. Theron also urged Lesotho to adopt a similar centralised formula that is meant to speed-up the movement of trucks carrying cargo in and out of Lesotho.

“We are doing this to meet international standards that are applied in most developed countries. This new system is mainly for the big businesses. South Africa is highly dependent on revenue generated at our borders and that it why we opt for the best possible standards.

“Our experts will be in Ficksburg and Maseru border gates on the 19^th May and  2^nd June respectively, to educate stakeholders on these changes. This is not only happening at our borders with Lesotho, but at all South African borders with our various neighbours,” said Theron.

He continued: ‘The system will still allow traders to present invoices to the Lesotho Revenue Authority, which is why it is important that Lesotho introduces a similar electronic system in order to harmonise customs processes between our two countries.”

However, the Lesotho Revenue Authority, Assistant Commissioner Customs Operation, Mrs Makali Lepholisa, said it would take time for Lesotho to introduce a similar system.

“We are still weighing our options on this issue. We first need to engage our businesspeople to make them understand how the system is going to be applied and how it would affect them. But looking at the way South Africa is introducing it, this is the best option for modernisation and we cannot be left behind and still be using the manual system. We need to move forward as a country,” said Lepholisa.

MASERU-Lesotho joins the global community at this year’s International Travel and Tourism Exhibition scheduled for May 12-15 in Durban, South Africa.

Established in 1997, the annual gala draws tourism experts and representatives from different countries and companies, and provides a platform on which delegates discuss the latest tourism trends and products.

The Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation Head of Strategic Tourism Marketing, Mr Tebello Thoola, on Tuesday this week confirmed the country would be represented at the indaba, which is considered the largest travel-trade exhibition in Africa.

Thoola said: “Lesotho has been participating in this indaba for more than ten years. We seek to present travel products to an extensive audience of residents of Durban and South Africa as the number one source-market for Lesotho, and educate delegates to the indaba through diverse convention programmes where the latest trends and solutions in travel management are discussed.”

Thoola added Lesotho’s participation in the forum is based on four key objectives namely to consolidate existing relationships with travel trade especially tour operators; identify and establish new travel partners; create destination awareness among consumers; and identify travel trends that could be co-opted into marketing plans.

“There will be a signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding between Lesotho and South Africa, during the indaba,” said Thoola.

MASERU-The national soccer team has maintained its FIFA ranking, according to the world soccer-governing body’s latest assessment released on Tuesday this week.

Likuena—as the team is affectionately known by fans—were ranked 163^rd in the world and 43^rd in Africa in April, and occupy the same positions this month.

In April, Likuena dropped three positions on the rankings after moving one place in February (from 161 to 160). In January, the team was ranked 153^rd in the world following a six-point drop the previous month.

Meanwhile, the Lesotho Football Association spokesperson Baba Malephane, told Public Eye the team’s preparation schedule for next month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Ghana, would be finalised this week.

“We will only know clear details of Likuena’s preparations after the meeting we are going to have on Thursday (last night),” Malephane said.

Likuena face Ghana, Zambia and Sudan in a tough Group D qualification campaign and travel to Accra on the weekend of June 1-3 for a first-leg encounter with the Black Stars. The team’s next match is against Sudan on June 8 in Maseru.

MASERU- Lesotho tomorrow joins the rest of the globe in celebrating World Athletics Day.

To mark the occasion, the Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association, is holding a special tournament at the Setsoto Stadium, according to the organisation’s spokesperson Sejanamane Maphathe.

“Every country which is a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is obliged to celebrate the day every year, during the second weekend of May.

“This year’s theme is 100 years of athletics excellence and as Lesotho, we are proud to look back and see what we have achieved over the years.  A gold medal by Thabiso Moqhali (in marathon) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia and another gold medal by Selloane Tšoaeli (high jump) at the 2010 African Senior competition in Kenya are among some of the achievements worth celebrating on the day,” Maphathe told Public Eye on Monday this week.

Maphathe further noted Tšoaeli, who also won a bronze medal at the 2010 African championship held in Kenya, (in combined events) made the Africa Team for the Continental Cup the same year. She came 7^th and set a new Lesotho record in high jump (1.79m).

“That was the first time an athlete from Lesotho received a call-up to the Africa Team, and we are very proud about it because it showed our athletes had potential.”

Maphathe also highlighted Mosito Lehata’s reaching the final in the 200 metres at the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi, India. Again, Lehata became the first Lesotho athlete to compete at the World Athletics Championship in Korea, where he reached the semi-final, last year.

“These are some of the achievements that we can talk about, as we also have other accomplishments at regional and continental level.”

Rasmeni said: “This will be the second table tennis tournament the association is hosting this year, after the first one was held in Qacha’s Nek in February.”

The association, Rasmeni further said, was in the process of implementing its strategic plan of taking the sport to rural communities.

“We want people in the villages to have a choice of taking part in different sporting codes, which include table tennis. We hope to achieve our goal of introducing table tennis to the rural communities with the support of the Lesotho Meteorological Service, who have bought 25 tables and started to distribute them on Tuesday (last week).”

He commended the Met Service for its “vision” to support table tennis, adding this would enable the association to reach out to different villages and develop the sport at community level.

The Lesotho Table Tennis Association was established 13 years ago, and has representation in nine of the country’s 10 districts. LeNA

MASERU-It’s crunch time for four A Division football sides as the battle for the Vodacom Top 8 trophy reaches the final stage this weekend.

Sefotha-Fotha, Kick4Life, Nyenye Rovers and Roma Rovers face-off at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena, all hoping to land the winners’ prize of M8000.

Kick4Life would be up against Sefotha-Fotha at midday on Saturday, while Nyenye Rovers take on Roma Rovers later in the day.

The semifinal winners meet in the final at the same Bambatha Tšita Arena on Sunday.

In an interview, Nyenye Rovers spokesperson, Thabiso Jomane, told Public Eye on Tuesday this week his charges were ready for the competition.

“Last weekend, we took part in a four-team tournament against three B Division teams based in Maputsoe and won the event. The tournament was for keeping the players match-fit, while also testing their endurance of playing two games in one weekend,” said Jomane.

Nyenye Rovers won the A Division North Stream, thereby gaining promotion into the Vodacom Premier League for the 2012/13 football season, while Roma Rovers were runners-up to Qoaling Highlanders in the South Stream.