• move ensures LDF don’t fall into the wrong hands

THE Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is now producing some of its uniforms in a move LDF Acting Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Kelebone Mothibi, says will help them beat delays they have endured when procuring uniforms through the often lengthy tendering process.

Lt Mothibi said the move would help ensure that LDF uniforms did not fall into the wrong hands. He also said it would enable soldiers who had acquired tailoring skills to fully utilise such skills and ensure they did not go to waste.

In a recent interview with the Sunday Express, Lt Mothibi said way back in 2013, the LDF began exploring ways of beating delays in procuring uniforms to ensure that soldiers were always presentable and not shabbily dressed.

He said it was then resolved that the army should utilise the skills of its tailor-trained staff to produce uniforms. He said they had since begun production with a staff complement of 44 soldiers who are tailors.

He said the self-tailoring initiative was still in its infancy and had not completely eliminated the need for procurement through the normal tendering process.

“This initiative has come a long way from 2013 after we realised that the tendering process can be delayed at times, leading to a situation of officers going without uniforms,” Lt Mothibi said.

“We have only started working on the tropical dress (camouflage), light weight dress, hats and caps. But we still have to order other pieces of our uniforms through the tendering process.

“We have a workforce of 44 men and women who produce between 25 and 30 pieces of uniforms on a daily basis and this is quite impressive. We are also working on a distinctive mark (logo) which we shall use on our uniform to ensure that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands as it has been reported in the past.”

Lt Mothibi said they had acquired second hand machines from local textile companies for their operations.