- Accused of delaying payments to thousands of youth
- Faces disciplinary action threat
Staff Reporter
Metsing Lemphane, the director of the Youth Apprenticeship Program in the Office of the Prime Minister, commonly known as Lesupatsela, is facing a disciplinary hearing for the persistent delay in payments to thousands of youth employed under the program.
In a stern show-cause letter dated Wednesday, December 4, 2024, ‘Mabataung Khalane, Principal Secretary (PS) for Defence and the Office of the Prime Minister ordered Lemphane to explain within five working days why disciplinary action should not be taken against him and his team for putting the program’s credibility at risk.
Attempts to reach Lemphane for comment before publication were unsuccessful, as he could not be reached for an interview.
Khalane’s letter outlines the ongoing issues surrounding delayed payments.
“In June 2024 the Office of the Prime Minister initiated the process of engaging public works labourers to perform different tasks as stipulated by respective constituencies whereby more than Six Thousand (6000) labourers were engaged on a month-to-month basis,” Khalane wrote.
She said that since the inception of the program, both labourers and leadership have not been receiving their stipends in a timely and consistent manner, causing significant grief, misery, and frustration for them, the ministry, and the government.
“… and this trend is not going to finality,” she added.
She further stated that despite discussing with Lemphane on multiple occasions the need to elaprepare documents for payment processing, track progress, and resolve the queries, these efforts have been in vain.
“To date, we still have several outstanding payments due to unresolved queries, with no clear explanation. It’s already December, and we have only resolved queries for the month of July from Mechachane, ‘Maliepetsane, Mpharane, Pela-Tšueu, Motete, Mafeteng, Machache, Hololo, Qalabane, and Thabana-Morena. All constituencies for August are still pending,” she wrote.
Khalane further explained that on November 19, 2024, the cabinet approved an increase in stipends for leadership positions and labourers, and M40 million was released on November 22, 2024, to process those payments.
“On Wednesday the 27th, yourself and your team made up of Mr Tieho Mamasiane and Mr Sechaba Mokoqo collectively made an undertaking to the Honorable Minister, Acting Principal Secretary and Director Finance – OPM, that all documents for September and October shall be submitted to OPM Accounts Department by close of business for immediate pay-outs, but to no avail, similar commitment was again made to the Minister on Thursday the 28th, but as of today, only requests for September (short of Mohales Hoek and Quthing constituencies) amounting to M3,132,400.00 have been submitted to Accounts and sent to Treasury for disbursements into the service providers hence to Lesupatsela labourers,” she said.
“Based on the above, I instruct you to show cause why disciplinary action cannot be instituted against you and the rest of your team for putting the office and the Lesupatsela Program into disrepute. You are expected to give your answer within five (5) working days upon receipt of this letter,” she concluded.
