…over soldier’s alleged killing in illegal mining turf wars
…as Letsoela reprimands troops over criminal links
Moorosi Tsiane
THE Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) has dispatched a special envoy to South Africa to investigate the alleged killing of one of its soldiers during violent disputes linked to illegal mining operations in that country’s Gauteng province.
The move follows a report in the current edition of the Lesotho Times that Commando Corporal (Cpl) Molise Molieleng had been shot dead in a gunfight between rival Zama Zama (illegal miners) groups battling for control of an abandoned mining shaft in West Rand, South Africa.
The incident has once again exposed growing concerns over the alleged involvement of serving soldiers in cross-border criminal activities, particularly illegal mining syndicates, including their pilfering of state weapons for onward sale to criminal gangs.
Commander of the LDF, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, has since come down hard on members of the army, warning them to steer clear of famo-related gang violence and illicit activities that are increasingly proving fatal.
Lt-Gen Letsoela delivered the stern warning during a tense meeting at Makoanyane Barracks on Thursday, where he told soldiers about the reports of Cpl Molieleng’s death and rebuked soldiers accused of entangling themselves in criminal networks.
The LDF spokesperson, Colonel Sakeng Lekola, confirmed that an investigative team had been deployed to South Africa to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
“We have received information that a member of the Lesotho Defence Force bearing the names mentioned has allegedly been killed in South Africa. The LDF has deployed a team to verify the facts,” said Col Lekola.
“We received this information with shock and will follow all necessary protocols, engaging relevant stakeholders.”
However, he cautioned that the army was still verifying whether the deceased is indeed the serving soldier in question.
“We do have a Corporal with those names who is still a member of the LDF, but investigations must confirm whether the person who died is indeed our member and the circumstances of his death,” he said.
Col Lekola also emphasised that the LDF had no operations outside Lesotho.
“I must make it clear that the LDF currently has no operations outside Lesotho, including South Africa,” he stressed, meaning that Corporal (Cpl) Molieleng could not have been killed in the line of duty but over his own alleged criminal activities.
According to military sources, Lt-Gen Letsoela used the meeting not only to announce the incident but also to issue a strong warning against indiscipline within the ranks.
“He reprimanded soldiers, telling them to stop involving themselves in illegal activities. He said it has been proven time and again that the end result is death,” said the source.
The army commander also reportedly ordered a probe into how Cpl Molieleng came to be in possession of a firearm believed to be an LDF-issued Galil rifle.
“He made it clear that the issue of the gun found in Cpl Molieleng’s possession will be thoroughly investigated,” the source added.
Reports from South Africa indicate that Cpl Molieleng, believed to have been part of a group brought in as backup due to their shooting expertise, was among attackers attempting to seize control of a mining site already occupied by a rival group.
“They believed that deploying trained shooters would give them an advantage,” said a source familiar with the incident.
However, the attack reportedly backfired, with three assailants killed during the confrontation. Cpl Molieleng was the only one positively identified, reportedly because he was found with his military identification card. The others remain unidentified. The attackers are said to have retreated after suffering heavy casualties, leaving behind weapons, including a Galil rifle allegedly used by Cpl Molieleng and an AK-47 suspected to belong to the LDF.
The incident has intensified concerns over the alleged involvement of some LDF members in organized crime, including illegal mining and firearm trafficking. Sources indicate that Cpl Molieleng, a member of the LDF’s elite special forces who was previously attached to military intelligence, was on a 20-day leave when he travelled to South Africa on 13 March 2026 with two unknown men. He had reportedly taken accumulated leave days while awaiting the outcome of an early retirement application.
More troubling reports suggest he may not have acted alone but as part of a group of serving soldiers collaborating with famo gangs operating illegal mining networks. He was allegedly found in possession of an LDF-issued Galil rifle, raising serious concerns about missing military weapons. Military insiders warned that such weapons could potentially end up in the hands of the South African National Defence Force, deployed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to combat illegal mining, creating security and diplomatic risks.
Cpl Molieleng’s death highlights a deeper crisis within the LDF, including growing concerns about some soldiers’ involvement in organized crime, gang violence, and cross-border illicit activities. His death coincides with an ongoing Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) investigation into a network of serving and former soldiers accused of stealing firearms from LDF armouries and selling them to famo gangs.
The network reportedly siphoned off high-powered rifles, including AK-47s and Galils, sometimes smuggling decommissioned firearms out piece by piece, reassembling them, and selling them on the black market for between M70,000 and M100,000. These weapons are believed to have fuelled escalating violence in famo gang conflicts extending into South Africa.
In January 2026, three LDF members—Corporals Letseka Tšitso, Mosuoe Letšoana, and Lerato Sechoala—were charged with stealing five Galil rifles, four AK-47 rifles, one 9mm P-line automatic pistol, and two 7.65mm pistols from Makoanyane Barracks in November 2025. Letšoana and Sechoala remain in Lesotho Correctional Service custody, while Tšitso was briefly detained by the LDF before being suspended.
Earlier in February, the South African Police Service (SAPS) recovered six AK-47 rifles and four pistols from Basotho suspects allegedly involved in illegal mining. The seizures followed three operations that left four Basotho miners dead, seven arrested, and several suspects fleeing. It remains unclear whether those recovered weapons were among those stolen from LDF armouries.