Billy Ntaote
MASERU — The High Court, last week declared the Communications Ministry’s Principal Secretary Nonkululeko Zaly’s suspension as null and void.
Acting Judge, Justice Teboho Moiloa, granted Zaly’s request to have her suspension by Government Secretary Motlatsi Ramafole set aside and declared null and void.
Justice Moiloa, giving his judgment on Thursday last week said Zaly’s plea was granted with costs.
Zaly was suspended by Ramafolo following a series of incidents that soured her relations with the Minister Tšeliso Mokhosi in the ministry since her appointment last year.
Justice Moiloa said the Government Secretary, according to the law, has powers to suspend principal secretaries but only the prime minister had powers to remove principal secretaries from office with the advice of the government secretary and the disciplinary committee.
Earlier this year Zaly, upon return from a suspension, had clashed with Mokhosi barely a week after she was reinstated as principal secretary in the ministry after the High Court blocked her suspension with an interim order.
The clashes ended in another suspension of the Principal Secretary.
Her return had however triggered a new battle between her and the minister.
Mokhosi and Zaly had clashed over appointment of two senior officials to run the Digital Migration Unit (DMU).
The DMU is supposed to oversee the migration of Lesotho from analogue to digital broadcasting. Before her suspension Zaly had told the minister that the DMU was unnecessary and costly.
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