Maseru, Mar. 4 — Ex-mine workers organisation Tsíamiso has on Tuesday held a press conference in Maseru to announce a new initiative aimed at helping Basotho claim their inheritance benefits without travelling outside the country.
The initiative focuses on providing local legal representation and strategies to empower ex-mine workers to access their compensation.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of Ts’iamiso Organisation, Mr. Rants’o Mantsi, said Parliament passed a law in 2024 requiring beneficiaries of deceased ex-mine workers to obtain a letter from their family, present it to their village chief and then appear before the Master of the High Court in Lesotho to lodge a claim.
However, he explained that the Master of the High Court in Lesotho deals only with inheritances within the country, while ex-mine workers’ claims are handled in Bloemfontein, South Africa. As a result, families have been required to travel there to process claims.
Mr. Mantsi said many Basotho have struggled with the process, as it requires hiring lawyers in Bloemfontein, where compensation is often paid into lawyers’ accounts and later disbursed in instalments.
He said this arrangement places a financial burden on claimants, who must use their limited resources for transport, food and accommodation.
To address this, the Ex-Mine Workers Association has hired a local lawyer, Ms. Ponts’o Mochesane, to represent them in Bloemfontein and ensure that beneficiaries receive their full compensation.
He said this will prevent Basotho from spending money travelling to South Africa and protect them from untraceable foreign lawyers.
Mrs. Maliabeng Maramane, a member of the Ex-Mine Workers Association, welcomed the initiative, noting that not all Basotho have passports to cross the border and claim benefits individually.
She said many widows are still waiting for their late husbands’ benefits, which are needed to support their families and pay for children’s education.
Ends/REM
