Africa-Press – Lesotho. In light of the pending case of the alleged controversial supply deal entered between the government of Lesotho and Frazer Solar GMBH, the Speaker of the National Assembly Sephiri Motanyane
has suspended the committee’s proceedings on this matter. The parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Hon. Teboho Sekata read the letter
of Attorney General (AG) Advocate Rapelang Motsieloa where he sought the Speaker of the National Assembly to cause halt to the proceedings of the aforementioned committee to carry out investigations.
The letter requested the cessation of the proceedings as the case under discussion is pending before the courts of law. The AG took issue with the “timing of investigations”.
Also, the PAC Chairperson read the parliament standing order No. 43 (2) which says: “A member shall not refer to any matter on which a judicial decision is pending.
” The committee was to hear the evidence from the ministries of finance, energy and meteorology,
public service and public works. It has questioned among others the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Hon. Temeki Tšolo who is alleged to have appended his signature into the contract between
the energy company and the government but has since denied knowledge of such signature saying it is not his. Also, the sitting Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro is expected to appear before the committee
to shed light on what transpired as the government is alleged to be in breach of such agreement. Then -at the time in which this contract was negotiated, Dr.
Majoro was the Minister of Finance. The government had allegedly entered into a solar supply deal running in the north of M2 billion with the German based Frazer Solar GMBH.
The Frazer Solar GMBH were to supply the government with 350 000 solar lanterns, 40 000 SWHs equipment (Solar Water Heating) to replace electric geysers and about 1, 5
million LED light (Light Emitting Diode) which are energy efficient. In an expensive lawsuit, Frazer Solar GMBH has petitioned the South Africa (SA) courts seeking
for the payment of damages due to Lesotho’s alleged failure to execute the obligations of the contract. The garnishee order has also attached the Lesotho assets that the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority
SOC Limited, an entity which is mandated to finance and implement the SA and Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) water treaty will have the following
fees collected from it: Following the writ of execution in a default judgement which was handed down by the Gauteng High Court in South Africa (SA) wherein Lesotho was ordered to pay in damages in
excess of €50 million which is about M850 million, the Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro has since set up commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.
Among others, the commission will attempt to establish the “compliance with relevant legal or administrative procedures and established practices of the laws of Lesotho by all key parties or any other person to the purported agreement when it was drawn or entered into”. .
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