The High Court through Judge Maseforo Mahase has issued an interim order reversing a decision by the Government of Lesotho through the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to withhold monthly salaries for Moahloli Mphaka, Thabang Thite, and Bahlakoana Manyanye.

This is after the trio (Mphaka, Thite, and Manyanye) approached the same court challenging a decision to withhold their monthly salaries for December 2022 without a hearing. The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources (Department of Water) was cited as the first respondent in the matter while Chief Delegate Lesotho Highlands Water Project (Themba Sopeng) is the second respondent.

The respondents include the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Development, the Minister of Natural Resources, and the Attorney General.

The applicants in their prayers ask the court to direct the respondents to continue to pay the applicants’ monthly salaries pending finalisation of the matter. They also ask that the respondents be refrained from interfering with their contract of employment and their salaries until the matter is disposed of.

The applicants ask the court to order the respondents to dispatch to the Registrar of the High Court and their Attorneys, records of proceedings that resulted in the decisions to withhold their monthly salaries for December 2022 as well as their gratuity.

They ask that the decisions of the respondents be reviewed and set aside. 

Source: LENA 18/01/2023