Basotho Pensions and Claims to be Settled
  Talks between Minister of Labour and Employment, Ms. Mpeo Mahase-Moiloa and her South African counterpart have resulted in that country agreeing to settle the pension and compensation claims of migrant Basotho who worked in the country’s mines.

The Minister, who was in South Africa recently visiting the different mines, also had a meeting with the Department of Labour. A memorandum of understanding on social dialogue and dispute resolution has been put together to replace “an obsolete” 1973 labour agreement between the two countries. The draft memorandum is expected to be finalised within a month.

"We want to ensure that Lesotho nationals in South Africa are here legally and that employers do not take advantage of their illegal status to exploit them," said Minister Mahase-Moiloa.

South Africa employs about 300 000 Basotho at any one time, most in the mining industry.

20 January 2006

  source: www.sabcnews.com