Pascalinah Kabi
MASERU — The Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) has retrenched half of its employees amid reports that the organisation is broke, the Sunday Express can reveal.
Lefa public relations officer Baba Malephane confirmed the lay off to the Sunday Express on Friday.
“It is true we retrenched 15 people,” Malephane said. “It is because of the recession.”
The cash-strapped Lefa employs about 30 people.
Malephane said he could not disclose the names of the retrenched employees.
He however said the 15 were from the accounting, technical and facilities and administration departments.
“I can’t give out the names, that is why I’ve given you the departments and the number of people affected,” Malephane said.
He said Lefa reached the decision to retrench last month and each employee has been given one month’s notice.
Among those who were retrenched is Lefa’s communications officer, Mikea Kalati, who confirmed the termination of his employment contract.
“Dear colleagues, please be informed that I’m no longer the communications officer of the Lesotho Football Association,” Kalati said in a statement.
“My contract has been terminated and from today, March 1st 2012, I will be serving notice,” he said.
The Sunday Express can also reveal that accountant Tlotliso Khali is also serving a month’s notice.
One ‘Maqueen Moloi, secretary to chief executive officer Mofihli Makoele, is also serving notice.
Sources said assistant competitions manager Teboho Leseka and referees officer Paul Phomane have also lost their jobs.
Last month the Lesotho Times reported that Lefa was broke and had to borrow M100 000 from its president, Salemane Phafane, to pay staff salaries.
Management, including the retrenched accountant and communications officer, did not get their January salaries.
Lefa chief executive officer Mofihli Makoele denied Lefa was broke and said the failure to pay salaries was due to delays by the government to deposit their quarterly subvention.
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