- as electoral body takes all its 188 staffers to a Durban retreat
- as Minister Ramoeletsi dismisses trip as a “wasteful” junket
- Maqutu denies previous administration planned it
Mohloai Mpesi
THE Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) planned team-building trip to Durban, South Africa, for its 188 staffers has drawn sharp criticism from the Minister of Law and Justice, Richard Ramoeletsi.
Mr Ramoeletsi described the week-long excursion from 2 to 7 March 2026 as a “wasteful expenditure” that strains the government’s already limited finances. He questioned the source of funding for the trip, arguing that the money should instead be used for essential government activities rather than “swimming at the beaches”.
The IEC, however, maintains that the trip is part of a “Staff Wellness and Team-Building Retreat” aimed at boosting morale, teamwork, and professional readiness ahead of the upcoming electoral period.
The Commission has, however, remained tight-lipped about the cost of the trip.
In a public statement titled “Boosting Staff Wellbeing and Morale”, the IEC said the retreat forms part of its ongoing staff development and capacity-building initiatives.
“The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) wishes to inform the electorate, stakeholders and members of the public that, as part of its ongoing institutional capacity-building and staff development programme, the Commission is continuing with key training and development initiatives that were scheduled under the previous administration.
“In this regard, the Commission has organised a Staff Wellness and Team-Building Retreat ahead of the upcoming intensive electoral period. This initiative forms part of the IEC’s broader strategy to strengthen institutional readiness and ensure that the Commission delivers electoral services effectively, in line with Lesotho’s constitutional, political, and legal framework
“The retreat will take place from 02 – 07 March 2026 and is guided by a structured programme designed to boost staff morale, enhance teamwork, and reinforce modern professional skills essential for election management.
“Purpose and Objectives of the Retreat: To boost staff wellbeing and morale, to strengthen team cohesion outside the workplace, to promote physical and mental wellbeing, to enhance technical readiness and organisational effectiveness ahead of the electoral cycle.
“The proposed destination for the retreat is Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Akio.”
Activities include, team Building, Ushaka Marine/boating(cruise), wildlife and gala dinner.
Ramoeletsi opposes trip
Mr Ramoeletsi criticised the planned trip as wasteful, arguing that the government cannot afford such expenditure.
“If they are going to book hotels, it is government money that will be used. The government does not have money. When they have to work, they say they are going to engage in team building and swim at the beaches. That is not appropriate at all,” said Mr Ramoeletsi.
He added that the IEC had claimed that its staff had been traumatised by the former Director of Elections, Advocate Mpaiphele Maqutu’s ill-treatment, and the Durban trip was intended to help boost staff morale. Adv Maqutu resigned from his position earlier this month with immediate effect.
“They said they were ill-treated by the former Director of Elections; hence they want to go for rehabilitation. But I hear this is not the first time. Every time after elections, they take such trips to Durban and play on boats with government money. It is not good that when they have to use public money, they save it and then go to play with it.”
Mr Ramoeletsi also stressed that the funds allocated for byelections must be returned to the government, as the financial year is ending.
“The byelections will have to be conducted after the Electoral Bill, which allows voters to use identity cards, is enacted. The byelections cannot be held now because the process of registering voters with IDs has not been completed. The money saved now will return to the government purse and be used for other government priorities next financial year.”
He further questioned why the IEC cannot hold team-building exercises locally instead of travelling to Durban.
“I submit the IEC budget, and I have never seen anywhere in their annual budget that this trip is mentioned. This is wasteful expenditure. If it’s team building, there are places where they can do that in Lesotho instead of going to Durban. Especially at the end of the financial year, it looks like they want to spend money just because it is available, even though it was not meant for that trip,” Mr Ramoeletsi said.
Although Mr Ramoeletsi did not cite other government departments, the Revenue Services Lesotho (RSL) recently held a team-building exercise facilitated by the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), which is considered far cheaper than the proposed Durban trip.
IEC defends decision
IEC Chairperson, Reverend Dr John Maphephe, nonetheless defended the upcoming staff retreat to Durban, saying the program was already budgeted by the previous IEC administration and deemed necessary to boost staff morale.
Dr Maphephe, who was inducted as chairperson earlier this month alongside commissioners Pontšo Mamatlere Matete and Dr Chelete Monyane for a five-year term, said the retreat aimed to address a demoralized and divided workforce.
“Some of our key priorities are institutional capacity building as well as staff development. We found that a budget had already been allocated, and there were officers already attending training.
“Hence, we have always maintained that it is not true that we have cancelled plans set by former commissioners. When we recognized worthwhile mandates, we continued with them. However, we are taking a holistic approach by including every staff member.
“A lot has happened to the general staff. Many are hurt, and some are even attending therapy due to poor leadership in the past. We found staff morale to be very low, and you cannot go into elections with a team that is down-spirited and distrustful of one another. We are working with a divided workforce, which is why we have to hold team-building exercises guided by experts to help us address these issues comprehensively,” Dr Maphephe said.
He added, “We are a Commission that works within the law. We will adhere to proper procurement rules and base our actions on allocated budgets. This program was already planned and funded.
“The Commission will cover only accommodation, food, transportation, and the fees for rehabilitation experts. Staff will not receive per diem.”
Dr Maphephe highlighted the expected outcomes: “We want stronger team cohesion and morale, clarity on roles and responsibilities, a shared vision moving forward, and better preparedness for upcoming electoral activities with a motivated, resilient, and accountable team.”
Asked about the cost of the trip, Dr Maphephe said he did not have the figure readily available. He referred this reporter to the IEC Public Relations Manager, Tuoe Hantši.
“We will provide the exact figures for the funds to be used. I currently don’t have them, but the PRO will share these figures after consulting with our director and finance manager. However, there was already a budget in place, as the previous commission had planned staff training in advance.
Emotional recovery
Mr Hantši said he did not have information on the cost of the trip yet.
“I am currently away so I cannot give you the figures as that would require me to ask the finance department.
But he told the Sunday Express that the Commission recognised the importance of restoring staff confidence after a challenging period under the previous administration.
“After meetings with general staff, departments, and one-on-one consultations on special cases, the Commission found a need to restore staff morale and strengthen collaboration. Emotional and psychological recovery is as important as skills development,” Mr Hantši said.
He explained that Durban was chosen to remove employees from daily work pressures, providing a neutral environment for team-building activities and access to specialized facilitators and facilities not available locally.
“The retreat is therapeutic as well as developmental, helping staff restore trust and collaboration, improve engagement and productivity, and align on organizational goals in a positive environment.”
Maqutu denies knowledge
Contacted for comment, Adv Maqutu denied knowledge of the trip.
“I cannot say much about that trip since I am no longer at the IEC. It is not true that this trip was planned under the previous administration. They are planning all this now, and I have no idea how much the budget is or from which allocation it would come,” Adv Maqutu said.