VZCZCXRO2104
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0185 1761604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 241604Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3737
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 4156

UNCLAS MASERU 000185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, DS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: TAXI ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR FOUR-DAY STRIKE 
 
REF: MASERU 163 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  At a press conference on June 24, leaders of the 
Maseru Region Transport Association, accusing the GOL of bad 
faith negotiations, announced plans for a nationwide taxi strike 
from June 30 through July 3.  One spokesperson advised residents 
of Maseru to stay at home for the duration of the strike "for 
the sake of peace and their safety."  Various political and 
commercial figures, including the  leader of the opposition 
Lesotho Workers Party and the Chairperson of the Maseru Chamber 
of Commerce and Industry, expressed support for the strike.  The 
tenor of the press conference was shrill, and the Maseru Region 
Transport Association appears committed to its plan to strike. 
The GOL, however, has yet to react to the strike announcement. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------- 
Strike Plan Announced 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  At a press conference on June 24 at the Lesotho Sun Hotel, 
the Maseru Region Transport Association announced a nationwide 
taxi strike to take effect from Monday June 30 through Thursday 
July 3.  One spokesperson advised residents of Maseru to stay at 
home for the duration of the strike "for the sake of peace and 
their safety."  The Transport Association claims the loyalty of 
42 of Lesotho's 50 taxi associations.  While the primary 
complaints of the Transport Association centered on the 
introduction several months ago of government-run buses 
(reftels), grievances aired at the June 24 press event ranged 
from discontent over GOL policies towards the news media to 
frustrations with alleged Chinese domination of Lesotho's retail 
sector. 
 
------------------------ 
Comments from the Podium 
------------------------ 
 
¶3.  The Maseru Region Transport Association's Public Affairs 
Officer, Lebohang Moea, stated that the transport sector would 
"not remain quiet, like other (aggrieved) sectors."  Accusing 
the GOL of meddling in private business and not consulting with 
the population on matters of public interest, Moea intimated 
that the Taxi Association would not be responsible for the 
actions of taxi operators, frustrated by competition from GOL 
buses and rising fuel prices, during the strike.  Mokete Jonase, 
Chairman of the Transport Association, asserted that no private 
taxi or buses would operate nationwide in Lesotho on June 30, 
accusing Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety Lesao 
Lehohla (who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister) of "lying" to 
the transport operators about giving serious consideration to 
their grievances.   (Note: The Transport Association called off 
a similar strike planned for June 1 in anticipation of 
negotiations with the GOL.  End Note.) 
 
¶4.  `Malitlou Morojele, Chairperson of the Maseru Chamber of 
Commerce and Industry, stated that her organization supports the 
Transport Association and that its members would close retail 
businesses for the duration of the four-day strike.  Stressing 
that the "government has no business in business," she said that 
the assignment of police units to protect GOL buses had the 
effect of keeping police officers from preventing crime in the 
capital city.  Bokang Musa, the Transport Association's General 
Secretary, accused Lesotho's police and security organs of 
making threatening calls to association leaders.  He concluded 
the event saying that "sometimes people must go through 
hardship" in order to "make things right for everybody." 
 
---------------------------- 
A Shrill, Threatening Affair 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5.  COMMENT:  The tenor of the press conference was shrill, and 
the Maseru Region Transport Association currently appears 
committed to implement the strike.  Past strikes (known as 
"stay-aways" in Lesotho) have frequently been disruptive to 
commerce and public transportation and often associated with 
sporadic violence.  Association leaders made no effort to 
disassociate their proposed mass action from potential violence 
or disruption to the local economy.  The GOL-which ironically 
implemented the bus system that has drawn the ire of taxi 
operators in order to mitigate disruption to public 
transportation during previous strikes-has thus far made no 
comment in response to the strike announcement.  END COMMENT. 
 
MURPHY