PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER'S REMAINS GO TO MOKEMA

The body of the Minister of Public Works and Transport who was the Member of Parliament for Koro-Koro constituency  Mr.  Mofelehetsi Moerane left MKM Mortuary on Thursday midday to his home  Mokema, where he will be buried with an official burial on Friday morning.

Mr. Moerane died on September 28 at Kensington clinic in Johannesburg South Africa after a long illness. The corpse arrived in the country last Thursday  and was given a standing ovation by the Prime Minister Mr. Pakalitha  Mosisili and the public.

From MKM, the Minister's coffin draped with the national flag went straight to Maseru West, where he was staying and a short prayer service was conducted before heading to Mokema.

Pall bearers carrying the late Minister's coffin

In an interview with the Lesotho News Agency (LENA), the Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Mr. Monyane Mathibeli showered the late Minister with praises  for being brave, intelligent and hard worker.  He said Mr. Moerane had a vast experience and understanding of his work  hence a network of roads were carried out during his term as the Minister.

However, he said Mr. Moerane's desire was to see a railway line across the country from Bloemfontein leading to Durban being constructed as well as the Moshoeshoe I international Airport being improved.

Mr. Mathibeli said the late Minister wanted the railway and Airport to be used to convey factory garments and agricultural products to other countries. He added that Mr. Moerane was a humble person who treated all the workers alike in his Ministry.

The Principal Secretary remarked that Mr. Moerane is not a loss to Lesotho alone but to the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) region due to his vision and intelligence.

Present at the procession from MKM to Maseru West among others included the Prime Minister Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili, some cabinet Ministers, dignitaries and high-ranking government officials, and Members of Parliament as well as the public.

Mr. Moerane died at the age of  71 and is survived by a son and two grand children.

07 October 2004