’Marafaele Mohloboli
THE Lesotho Congress for Democracy’s Women’s League’s (LCDWL) has shelved plans for a nude over the alleged failure by the government to provide “satisfactory” updates on an investigation into the fatal shooting of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s wife, Lipolelo Thabane, saying the cold weather had forced them to keep their clothes on.
Ms Thabane was shot dead by an unknown assailant as she was about to drive into her Ha ‘Masana home on 14 June 2017. The incident occurred just two days before Dr Thabane’s inauguration as prime minister for the second time.
A female companion of Ms Thabane also sustained serious injuries.
Investigations into the case are still ongoing, with no arrests as yet according to the police.
However, in a press conference held late last month at the LCD headquarters in Maseru, the party bemoaned the lack of progress in the investigations, saying by now the suspects should have been apprehended.
LCD women’s league representative, Lineo Tlali, said they had written a letter to the Minister of Police and copied the letter to the Lesotho Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA), whose responses they were eagerly awaiting.
“We want them to help us make noise about this killing, and if our grievances are not responded to, in the month of August, we shall take to the streets naked if that’s what it takes for women get protection in our own country,” Ms Tlali said at the time.
Women’s Month is celebrated in August as a tribute to the more than 20 000 South African women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 9 August 1956 protesting against the extension of pass laws to women in that country.
However, the eagerly awaited naked protest has still not materialised with LCDWL Deputy President, ’Maeketsang ’Molotsi, telling the Sunday Express on Friday that the cold weather had forced them to put on hold their plans.
She said they would soon meet to map the way forward on the issue.
“I can’t really say whether or not we just postponed or we are going to call the march off altogether,” ’Molotsi said, adding, “We will meet as a committee and look into it”.
“Up until now the only thing that’s really stopping us is the cold weather.”
The LCDWL even vowed to engage private investigators over the fatal shooting.
Ms ’Molotsi said they still had not received any response from the Minister of Police, the FIDA and WLSA.
The recipients of the letter have previously acknowledged receipt but are still to comment.
Police Spokesperson, Inspector Mpiti Mopeli, said a nude protest was tantamount to public indecency which was an offence and therefore would not be tolerated.
“The permit shall be processed with expressed terms and conditions and if they parade naked in the streets, that would be public indecency and that will be taken into consideration,” Insp Mopeli said.