On July 30, the Public Service Commission in Lesotho found guilty and demoted Mamonyane Matsa’ba, a journalist working for the state-run radio. MISA-Lesotho acting Chairperson, Bethuel Thai, reported on August 5, that the Commission found Matsa’ba guilty of “disobeying and disregarding” in November last year an order prohibiting journalists from broadcasting a recorded opposition statement. […]
On July 30, the Public Service Commission in Lesotho found guilty and
demoted Mamonyane Matsa’ba, a journalist working for the state-run radio.
MISA-Lesotho acting Chairperson, Bethuel Thai, reported on August 5, that
the Commission found Matsa’ba guilty of “disobeying and disregarding” in
November last year an order prohibiting journalists from broadcasting a
recorded opposition statement. Thai said that Matsa’ba has been demoted
from her post of Chief Programmes Officer to the Principle Programmes
Officer. She will stay on demotion for at least six months. However, the
Commission reportedly said that Matsa’ba should have been dismissed but for
her lawyer who had pleaded for a lesser punishment.
Matsa’ba had, on November 27 last year, aired the offending tapes which
contained statements critical of the government by opposition leader,
Senator Vicent Malebo. In the statement, made on November 17 at a press
conference in the capital Maseru, the opposition leader reportedly
disclosed that increased salaries for ministers, senators and members of
parliament, which authorities had ordered to be stopped, were still being
paid out. Lesotho authorities, however, did not dispute allegations made by
the opposition which Matsa’ba had put on air.
Speaking to MISA on August 6, Matsa’ba said the Commission’s decision was
“worrying.” “I was shocked at the judgement. I thought as a journalist, I
was doing my job,” she said. She, however, added that the demotion has
meant a reduction in her monthly salary by a quarter. Matsa’ba said the
Commission has also “warned me not to make any mistake in the six months or
I will be dismissed. But the Commission did not specify the mistakes I
should not commit; this warning has affected me because I am not sure what
they were up to.” Matsa’ba, however, said that she believed “authorities
will be closely monitoring anything I do for them to find mistakes and
dismiss me.” The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, Ms Mpine Tente, confirmed the report, and said that the
demotion was with immediate effect.
Since January this year, Matsa’ba has been appearing before a disciplinary
committee which acted under the 1970 Public Service Order Regulations.
Matsa’ba first appeared before the internal disciplinary committee on
January 4, but authorities postponed hearing to March 6. However, on March
6, the Information and Broadcasting Deputy Principal Secretary, Khothatso
Ralitsie and the Lesotho Television Chief Controller, Liteboho Tsola,
testified against Matsa’ba that an instruction had been issued by the
Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Lira Motete, forbidding
journalists from broadcasting Malebo’s statement . While on March 19, the
disciplinary committee postponed “‘indefinitely'” Matsa’ba’s case because
her lawyer had failed to turn up.
Recommended Action
Write to authorities in Lesotho:
the journalists working for the state-run broadcaster
Appeals To
Rt. Hon. Prime Minister & Minister of Public Service, Ntsu Mokhehle
Prime Ministers Office
Government Complex
P. O. 391
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Tel: +266 312 994 or 326328
Rt. Hon. Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Pakane Khala
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
PO. Box 36
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Tel: (266) 323 561 or 325 317 or 316 244
Fax: (266) 310 001
Ms Mpine Tente
Principle Secretary of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
P. O. Box 36
Maseru
Lesotho
Tel: (266) 323 561 or 325 317
Fax: (266) 310 001
