Maseru, Aug. 26 — The Office of the Prime Minister has dismissed allegations linking Prime Minister Mr. Ntsokoane Matekane to the establishment or operation of a private VIP security company in Lesotho.
The clarification follows reports and testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in South Africa concerning the alleged establishment of a private VIP security company in Lesotho and claims that the company was intended to provide protection to the Prime Minister.
In an interview with the Agency on Wednesday, the Press Attaché in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr. Thapelo Mabote indicated that the Prime Minister has never been involved in, authorised or sanctioned any business dealings with Mr. Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala or any company associated with him.
He mentioned that the Office is aware that an individual who had previously served on the Prime Minister’s private security detail had engaged Mr. Matlala in his personal capacity regarding the establishment of a VIP security company.
“Any such engagement was undertaken strictly in that individual’s personal capacity and was not undertaken on behalf of or with the authority or sanction of the Prime Minister or the Office of the Prime Minister,” Mr. Mabote said.
He further explained that the company was independently registered by the individual with registration documents containing the individual’s own residential addresses.
According to Mr. Mabote, these details further demonstrate that the registration was a private undertaking and not an initiative of the Prime Minister or the Government of Lesotho.
He noted that the Office therefore rejected any suggestion that the establishment of the company constituted a business venture involving the Prime Minister.
“For the avoidance of doubt, he has never been under any agreement, partnership, financial interest, business relationship or other commercial arrangement between the Prime Minister and Mr. Matlala in relation to VIP protection services or any other business,” he said.
Mr. Mabote also stressed that protection of the Prime Minister is governed by the laws and security arrangements of the Kingdom of Lesotho and falls within the mandate of authorised State security structures.
He said that the function could not simply be outsourced to a private entity through an arrangement involving the Prime Minister.
Mr. Mabote said that the Office respects the proceedings of the Madlanga Commission and would not seek to interfere with or pre-empt its work but considered it important to place the facts on record to prevent what he described as a misleading impression regarding the Prime Minister’s involvement.
He reiterated that the Prime Minister had never met Mr. Matlala, had never conducted business with him and had never authorised or participated in the establishment of any private VIP Security Company in Lesotho.
“Any dealings between Mr. Matlala and the individual concerned were private dealings between those parties and cannot under any circumstances be attributed to the Prime Minister or the Office of the Prime Minister,” Mr. Mabote said.
Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is a South African tender tycoon and currently under investigation in suspicion of multiple crimes inclusive of involvement in large state contracts and related controversies.
He is owner of a security company called Cat VIP Protection Services, Matlala was raised and is based in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
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