SOUTH Africa’s Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa last week told parliament that she had objected to Lesotho’s decision to appoint ex-convict Masupha Sole as chief technical adviser to the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission.
Molewa said her objection was based on a “comprehensive legal opinion”.
We can only say we saw this one coming.
A former chief executive of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, Sole was convicted of 13 counts of bribery and corruption in 2003.
His sentence was initially 57 years but was reduced to 15 years on appeal.
He was released in May this year after spending only nine years behind bars.
By August he was back at the same project that he used to receive M5 million in bribes.
A few weeks after Sole’s surprise appointment we warned this was an ill-advised decision likely to damage Lesotho’s reputation as a country committed to fighting corruption.
Now South Africa, which is an equal partner in the water project, has made it clear it is unhappy with his return.
We believe this matter should not have reached this far.
From the onset the decision to rehire Sole was ill-advised, retrogressive and counter-productive.
It is hard to find a credible reason why the government decided to appoint an ex-convict to such a critical position in the first place.
We are not saying, because of his past crimes, Sole must not be allowed to work.
No.
Nor are we arguing that he has not been rehabilitated.
Our point is that it is wrong to appoint Sole to the same commission that he used to solicit bribes.
And that seems to be precisely South Africa’s main concern.
Also, it flies in the face of the government’s attempts to portray Lesotho as a country committed to fighting corruption.
It wipes away the reputation that Lesotho has built as a little African country that punches above its weight when it comes to fighting corruption.
Now we come across as a country that is not only complacent in the battle against graft but also rewards corrupt people.
South Africa as the main funder of the Phase 2 of the water project is therefore justified to object to Sole’s appointment.
The truth of the matter is that Sole is extra baggage that Lesotho cannot afford to carry into the second phase of this crucial project. He is part of a checkered history whose mistakes we must not repeat.
By insisting on Sole remaining a member of the commission Lesotho comes across as being an unreasonable partner in this project.
This does not augur well for a partnership. Mutual benefit is the basis of this partnership. Mutual trust is what has made it survive this long and grow this big.
That is why it will be reckless for Lesotho to undermine that partnership by insisting on appointing Sole.
He is not bigger than this project and certainly not worth fighting for.
Lesotho must do the right thing and remove Sole from that position.
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