Billy Ntaote

THABA-TSEKA — The Basotho National Party (BNP) has taken a hardline approach towards errant civil servants, proposing that fail­ure to execute duties should war­rant expulsion.
To drive the point home, BNP leader Sports Minister Thesele ‘Maseribane has urged coalition government ministers to sack lazy civil servants.

“Do away with your fear of tak­ing disciplinary action against dis­obedient civil servants, sack them if you have to,” ‘Maseribane said on Friday.
‘Maseribane was speaking at his party’s rally held in the Thaba- Moea constituency village of Ha Lephoi Lesobeng to garner votes for Matsemela Khasoana contest­ing the February 15 by-elections under the BNP ticket.

His remarks came after villag­ers of Ha Lephoi complained they were being unfairly treated by the Home Affairs officers working in Thaba-Tseka town.

The villagers told Maseribane they were made to travel very long distances to get spellings cor­rected back in their villages when such small mistakes could be rec­tified by the officers without ask­ing people to return home.

The villagers added the public servants at the district offices are always badly behaved when they are supposed to offer public ser­vices.

‘Maseribane told the villagers that it has come to the coalition government’s attention that min­isters fear taking action against public servants who fail to per­form their duties.
“Yesterday we were talking to ministers and this is making me reveal that we have realised minis­ters seem to fear public servants.

“And we have public servants who know they can get away with anything because no action would be taken against them,” ‘Maserib­ane said.

He said it is time disobedient public servants got suspended and know they would be fired for failing to perform their duties and providing excellent services to Ba­sotho.
He asked whether public serv­ants would be happy if ever their elderly relatives and parents were to be the ones who were being ill-treated and sent from pillar to post over minor spelling mistakes on applications forms.

‘Maseribane said he believes co­alition government ministers are facing a crisis that would see pub­lic service delivery declining more.
“Our ministers really seem to be afraid of public servants.
“What they should know is that if they fail to serve the people they should go back home and let will­ing people serve this nation,” he said.

‘Maseribane reminded ministers they were duty-bound to ensure that all is well in their ministries and they should be in charge of how things are run in all gov­ernment departments and agen­cies.

He said the government wants to see services decentralised and delivered speedily to the people.
“Chief Joang (referring to Home Affairs Minister Joang Molapo) those children in Thaba-Tseka should be disciplined and people should get services speedily deliv­ered to them,” ‘Maseribane said.

‘Maseribane asked what the role of the Lesotho Institute of Public Administration and Management was when public servants were behaving in such an unruly man­ner.
He told Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Malebitso Ralebitso, who was also at the rally, to ensure the grievances of the community were speedily addressed.