Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Ministry of Labour says its operation to weed out foreigners working without work permits has achieved some success. Operation Thoso was started three months ago.
Officials from the Ministries of Labour and Trade have been visiting companies to check if they have foreign employees. The officials are checking for work permits.
Labour spokesman Tumisang Mokoai, said the operation was launched after Basotho complained that some companies were hiring foreigners for jobs reserved for locals.
Others complained that some of the foreigners are either not qualified or don’t have valid work permits. Labour Minister Moshe Leoma recently told a local newspaper that the government’s policy is to push Basotho first.
Mokoai said there was nothing unique about the operation because Lesotho is only enforcing compliance with its laws. He said other countries are doing the same.
He gave the example of South Africa where he said Basotho are being fired because they don’t have work permits. “Why should we relax here?’’ he quipped.
Mokoai said during inspection in Mokhotlong district they closed six Chinese-owned shops. He said at the Polihali project they found foreigners who were occupying positions that could have otherwise been given to qualified Basotho.
“Some of such foreigners do not even have work permits,” Mokoai said.
“We managed to close around six shops belonging to the Chinese,” he said. He said their finding was based on non-compliance with their permits.
He said the foreigners are being given the permits to operate supermarkets in a certain area. “There were foreigners selling fruits outside the shops like the street vendors,’’ he said.
And some were selling unknown brands of products that do not even have an expiry date. “Such business people were handed over to the police,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
