Drama at LAA

MASERU – THE fight between the Land Administration (LAA)’s boss, ’Mataeli Makhele Sekhantšo, and the board chairman, Lefu Manyokole, took a nasty turn yesterday.

Sekhantšo blocked the main entrance of the LAA’s premises with her Ford Everest car for the whole morning hours after she found that she had been locked out of her office.

This brought services to a halt temporarily.

This comes barely two weeks after Sekhantšo won a High Court case on legal technicalities against Manyokole who wanted to kick her out of the office.

Both Sekhantšo and Manyokole declined to comment, the former saying this matter is still being handled by the courts in another case while the latter referred us to Local Government Minister, Lebona Lephema.

Lephema could not be reached for comment.

The whole fight stemmed from the former Local Government Minister Lehlohonolo Moramotse’s refusal to approve the board’s extension of Sekhantšo’s contract of employment.

Her contract had expired on August on August 30 and the board decided to extend it for a further three years.

When the minister, who in terms of the law has powers to approve or disapprove the appointment, refused to approve the board’s decision Sekhantšo sued.

The case is still pending in the High Court.

But the court refused to grant her rights to be in the office pending finalisation of the case.

Meanwhile, she refused to vacate the office, which prompted Manyokole to ask the court to kick her out.

Manyokole lost the case on November 29 on grounds that he did not have locus standi.

Manyokole is also the Local Government principal secretary.

Nkheli Liphoto