PRIME Minister Sam Matekane faces a stern test next week after civil servants threatened to down tools. The Coalition of Lesotho Public Employees (COLEPE), an association of unions and associations for government employees, says the strike starts on Monday and will continue until the government agrees to their demand for a 25 percent salary increase.
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If implemented to the scale envisaged by COLEPE, the strike will bring government operations to a halt. Government schools, health centres and offices will not be functioning.
And if members of the Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA) participate in the strike as expected, some police stations and operations might be severely affected.
COLEPE announced that the strike was going ahead as planned after its members walked out of a meeting with the government’s emissaries on Tuesday.
COLEPE members were furious that Matekane had sent his officials instead of attending the meeting himself.
The government’s delegation included the government spokesman, Thabo Sekonyela, Chief of Prime Minister’s Staff, Sofonea Shale, and spokesman, Thapelo Mabote.
COLEPE’s representatives felt Matekane’s absence indicated that the government was not taking their grievances seriously.
They immediately issued a statement encouraging all civil servants “to continue being busy preparing for the Monday strike”.
By “busy preparing”, the coalition was referring to the go-slow that started on Monday.
COLEPE said its members have never had a significant salary increase since 2012.
The COLEPE spokesperson, ’Makatleho Mphetho, told thepost that they have decided to embark on the strike after they failed to meet the prime minister on Tuesday.
“We were given an impression that Prime Minister Sam Matekane would be in the meeting in person,” Mphetho said.
She said they were “only caught by surprise to find out that” Sekonyela, Shale, Mabote and other officials “were the ones leading the meeting”.
She said the government’s representatives asked them to explain their grievances and “yet the letter of our grievances was directed to the Prime Minister himself and not to his officials”.
“The meeting precipitated into tension and the coalition representatives decided to vacate the premises.”
“We thought we were going to get answers on our request for a 25 percent salary hike.”
The police management has since issued a warning against police officers who will join the Monday strike to cease associating themselves with any union.
The warning letter cites the Police Act which prohibits any police officer to be a member of a trade union.
“The Lesotho Mounted Police Service warns sternly and throws aside statements that say members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service will partake in such protest,” the statement reads.
“It is important to understand that the Lesotho Mounted Police Service takes a neutral stance in public protests,” it reads.
Mphetho, who is also LEPOSA’s secretary general, said it is important to note that LEPOSA and the police are two different organisations, each one carrying out its duties as per laws governing it.
“They are not the same,” Mphetho said.
“Leposa is an independent entity. It has a right to do its discretion without approval from anyone.”
COLEPE’s secretary general, Letsatsi Ntsibolane, said all their members should know that “the strike is still on”.
“Now, we are no longer turning back,” he said, adding that “talks have failed several times”.
“All the available avenues have been exhausted,” he said.
Ntsibolane said they felt disrespected when they were told to explain their grievances “to mere public servants who do not have powers to decide on our salary increase and other grievances”.
Sekonyela said Matekane could not attend the meeting because “the matter is still in the hands of the ministerial committee”.
He said they wanted to hear COLEPE’s grievances “so that we liaise with the ministerial sub-committee formed to work out their issues”.
“It would not have made any sense for the Prime Minister to be present in that meeting,” Sekonyela said.
“I make an urgent appeal to the coalition members to refrain from what they are doing and to come for the talks.”
He said the government is working hard to make sure that meetings are held and grievances are solved amicably.
COLEPE comprises seven associations in all, which are LEPOSA, Lesotho Public Service Staff Association (LEPSSA), Lesotho Association of Teachers (LAT), Lesotho Teachers Trade Union (LTTU), Lesotho Nurses Association (LNA), Qiloane Nursing Assistance Association (QNAA) and the Lesotho Schools Principals Association (LESPA).
Nkheli Liphoto
