FOLLOWING the retrenchment of thousands of textile factory workers across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 18 000 jobs will be created by the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) through the opening of new factories.

The factories will be opened in Maputsoe, Maseru and Mafeteng in a move to revive the textile sector and rescue Basotho from the unemployment.

LNDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Advocate Molise Ramaili said 14 factories would be opened in Maputsoe that would employ up to 14 250 people. Seven more factories in Ha Tikoe will absorb 2 700 workers, while the establishment of a medical cannabis firm will also employ more workers.

In an industry dominated by Asian investors, Adv Ramaili said several of the Basotho owned factories were competitive and the LNDC was working with the owners for their expansion and employment of more workers.

“Foreign investors are leaving the country due to loss of business after the impact of COVID-19,” he said. “Orders have been cut and many Basotho are left idle and have nowhere else to go.”

However, Adv Ramaili said South African factories operating in Lesotho were more stable as they had been working smoothly despite disruptions brought about by the pandemic.  

“No one was retrenched by South African owned factories since the beginning of the pandemic and it has made them strong to put more focus in securing jobs,” he added.

Qacha's Nek and Mokhotlong, he said would also follow with the opening of new factories to avoid the flight of people from the mountain and rural areas into the urban towns such as Maseru.

“That way the districts will be able to grow their own economies”, he said. “We are working tirelessly to make sustainable jobs that will not be threatened by the pandemic or any other issue.