Africa-Press – Lesotho. sitting the Cabinet resolved to hire all the expelled Tšepong Pty (Ltd) nurses on March 12. The newly recruited nurses into the government system will begin their work on May 1.
These developments were revealed by the Ministers of Health and Public Service Hon. Semano Sekatle and Hon. Motlohi Maliehe respectively. The news was met with jubilations from
the nurses who had filled the Ministry of Health (MoH) auditorium along with their association, Lesotho Nurses Association. The emotionally charged nurses
sang and danced to the news waving placards. Tšepong Pty (Ltd) is a consortium of five companies that runs Lesotho’s referral Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) and
its shareholding comprise Netcare, which holds a 40% stake within the consortium while the remaining 60% shareholding is held by Afrinnai Health (Pty) Ltd 20% – South African based company, and the local
companies comprising of; Excel Health Services (Pty) Ltd with 20% shareholding, D10 Investments (Pty) Ltd (D10) which has 10% shareholding , and Women Investment Company (Pty) Ltd (WIC) with 10% stake.
The Minister of Health said the government’s responsibility is to level the “grounds” and ensure the nurses engaged well. “These are professional nurses, it was a waste to see them jogging on the streets,” he
said adding that they are now going to be government employees. Sekatle further warned them to approach the courts for the recourse wherever there are
disputes. The Director General (DG) of Health Services Dr. ‘Nyane Letsie said all the logistical arrangements have been made and the vacancies have been filled.
The DG also highlighted that even the clinics which had been closed on account of shortage of nurses will be opened to service their host communities.
Chronicling the development of their engagement journey, she mentioned that strings of meetings had been held with the nurses association and their committees.
Maliehe said the nurses will fill all the vacant positions. He added that the government will settle all debts incurred by Tšepong. LNA Secretary General (SG), Monica Mokhesi in her moving speech indicated that the nurses are
“vital” in the health facilities from birth to death. She added:
“There is nobody who is going to achieve the universal health coverage without
acknowledging the nurses. ” She said they have “taken it all” and further alleges that the nurses are not paid according to their qualification saying that is going to “end in this country”.
“Nobody called us here, we fell in love with the profession because it is a noble profession.
The only time people recognise that there are nurses is when a nurse makes a mistake” she said to the applause that burst from the nurses. Following the 40
day industrial action by Tšepong nurses and nursing assistants over the salaries which they demanded the hospital to review after they were last adjusted in 2012, the hospital fired its 265 staff members.
The other grievance of the nurses and nursing assistants included the arrangement that they will mentor the Ministry of Health (MoH) nurses whose salaries surpass theirs.
Prior to terminating employment of some its staff members, Tšepong had approached the Labour Court and lodged an urgent application challenging the strike of its employees
wanting the court to declare it as illegal and the court interdicted the strike on February 24. On March 15, Tšepong withdrew the case. On March 24, the
Netcare Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd issued a strong worded statement following the government’s announcement to terminate the public private partnership (PPP).
It had accused the government of among others the delay of payments which the group said affect the salaries of their staff and their operations. “Tšepong is a
thinly capitalised entity without access to working capital, and therefore unable to meet financial obligations when monthly payments by GoL [Government of Lesotho] are delayed.
During these prolonged periods of non-payment – sometimes up to five consecutive months – Netcare provided the interest-free bridge funding to sustain the financial
position of Tšepong. “While Tšepong has been trading solvently, Tšepong’s ability to declare dividends and maintain liquidity has been severely constrained by the poor payment history by GoL and poor support, by some
members of the Tšepong board, to act in the interest of the company and take action to collect fees owing by GoL,” says Dr Chris Smith, the Finance General Manager at Netcare.
On March 17, the task team of cabinet Ministers formed of the Ministers of Health, Finance, Development Planning, Labour and Employment, Education and Training, Tourism, Environment and Culture
and Law and Justice announced the government’s decision to part ways with the company citing the long strained relationships from the onset of the Public
Private Partnership (PPP) agreement between Tšepong and the government. “We confirm the receipt by Tšepong of a default notice from the GoL [Government of Lesotho] on 18 March
2021 which Netcare plans to challenge as we believe it is indeed the GoL that has defaulted. Netcare also duly notes the alleged media statements by the
Minister of Health of government’s intention to terminate the 18-year-long PPP agreement, now in its 13th year. Netcare remains committed to providing Basotho citizens with the best and safest care, and will keep
engaging GoL on these issues in an effort to avoid any disruption to service delivery, ”further read the statement in pertinent part. In October 27, 2008, the GoL entered into PPP agreement with Tšepong Pty (Ltd) and QMMH started operating in 2011.
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