Lekhetho Ntsukunyane
THE late Maseru City Council (MCC) Mayor ’Masechaba ’Makong will be laid to rest on Friday in Kokobela Village, Maseru West.
Ms ’Makong, who was also the Democratic Congress (DC) Women’s League secretary-general, died on 18 June 2016 at Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital after a short illness.
She was appointed as Maseru mayor in December 2015 after serving as the Lithabaneng Constituency councillor since 2011.
According to MCC spokesperson, Lintle Bless, Ms ’Makong’s death came as a shock to the municipality as she was the first mayor to die in office.
“Her death really shocked us because she was the first mayor to pass away while still holding that position,” Ms Bless told the Sunday Express on Friday.
“She was still coming to work just a few days before she complained of not feeling well, and was subsequently hospitalised. We were all shocked to hear the sad news of her untimely passing.”
Ms Bless also said the former mayor’s memorial service would be held at the St Mary and St John Anglican Church cathedral in Maseru West on Wednesday.
Ms ’Makong was born Lineo Theodora Molia in Lerapong, Qacha’s Nek, on 14 July 1960. She was the third-born child of the late Khathatso Benson Molia and ’Mateboho Millicent Molia.
She attended school at Qacha’s Nek United Primary, Makhaola Secondary and Maseru Control High respectively. Ms ’Makong was married in August 1978 and renamed ’Masechaba ’Makong.
She worked at Frazer’s Furnishers and the Bureau of Statistics during the early stages of her career. In 1992, she ventured into active party politics, and aligned herself with the Basotho Congress Party (BCP). Over the years, Ms ’Makong rose through the ranks of the party and was elected into several committees of the BCP in Motimposo constituency.
After the splintering of the BCP in 1997, she joined the newly-formed Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and was appointed its women’s league secretary for Motimposo constituency. Ms ’Makong was subsequently elevated to the constituency executive committee in which she held the position of secretary.
When the Democratic Congress was formed in 2012, after splitting from the LCD, Ms ’Makong joined the fledgling party and was appointed its women’s league secretary-general – a position she held until her death.
Prior to her appointment as mayor, Ms ’Makong was appointed into several MCC management committees including the Tender Board, Finance and Planning.
She is survived by her husband, five children and four grandchildren.
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