WHILE the rest of the kingdom rejoiced during this festive season, it was not the case in Mafeteng district which faced a critical shortage of water throughout the festive period.
A local law firm is now threatening legal action against the Water and Sewage Company (WASCO) for "denying" local Mafeteng communities access to this vital resource.
A rights group has also jumped onto the bandwagon in solidarity.
Advocate Fusi Sehapi, a renowned human rights lawyer representing Goldman Mustard Inc., and Section II Advocates for the Supremacy of the Constitution, have called on both the Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, and his Natural Resources counterpart, Mohlomi Moleko, to swiftly address the severe water crisis affecting the district.
In his letter to Mr Mochoboroane, dated 24 December 2024, Advocate Sehapi said it was the government's responsibility to ensure that all communities were adequately provided with water.
Failure to comply, Adv Sehapi asserted, would result in the initiation of legal proceedings against Wasco and the government in the High Court of Lesotho.
Section II stated in a 31 December 2024 statement that its investigations and direct communication with the local Mafeteng communities had confirmed a dire shortage of water for domestic purposes, further intensifying the difficulties faced by residents.
Section II is thus calling on Mr Moleko, to officially declare a water emergency in Mafeteng District within a 14-day timeframe.
"SECTION 2 expresses its solidarity with the residents of Mafeteng District during this difficult period. We urge the Minister of Natural Resources to take immediate action in declaring a water emergency and to ensure complete transparency regarding water abstraction practices."
Compliance with the legal regulations governing water resource management was crucial for maintaining the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of all citizens, Section II asserted.
Both Messrs Moleko and Mochoboroane could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Lintle Maliehe, General Manager of Technical Operations at Wasco, told the Lesotho Times yesterday, that the Wasco executive board would convene next week to deliberate on the issue after which the media would be informed of its decision.
