Indian businessman claims military base

An Indian businessman has made sensational claims that a piece of land adjacent to Mokotakoti Military Base in Maputsoe belongs to him and wants to be compensated for its use over the past seven years.

The businessman (name withheld) is also reportedly demanding a payment of M7000 in monthly rent since 2018, totalling a staggering M588,000. He claims he took ownership of the land then. However, local government disputes this.

This has landed the businessman in a fierce dispute with local government authorities, who argue that the land is a community property and was made a military base for the villagers’ safety and their property.

The contentious issue was thrust into the spotlight this week during the inspection of the base by the portfolio committee on Prime minister’s ministries and departments, governance, foreign relations and information cluster committee at Mokotakoti.

Leribe District Administrator (DA), Letsema Khalanyane maintains that the businessman was granted the lease to the land in a suspicious manner as the local authorities do not know about the allocation.

Khalanyane noted that the businessman claims he had planted trees on the property with the intention of creating a picnic area, despite objections from the local authorities.

He further revealed to the committee that the businessman was demanding rent from the army dating back seven years, claiming he would have earned M7000 monthly.

Khalanyane also highlighted that leases were being allocated corruptly to individuals in Leribe without any history or development plans for the sites.

Some lease holders were allocated land even before it is available, indicating a deep-seated problem in the system, he noted.

According to Khalanyane, what is more troubling is the alleged affiliation between local government lawyers and individuals who acquire leases through corrupt means.

“There is a serious challenge here in Leribe, people who are corruptly acquiring leases. Some individuals own leases with no history and others allocated leases even before sites are available.

“What makes the problem more troubling is that local government lawyers are working with such leaseholders,” he told the meeting.

Khalanyane suggested that government must engage external lawyers in such matters “because the ministry’s lawyers are part of the scheme”.

Attempts to reach the businessman for comment prior to publication were unsuccessful.

Contacted for comment on Wednesday this week, Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sakeng Lekola, confirmed knowledge of the ongoing dispute.

Lt Colonel Lekola said he could not comment further as the matter falls under the purview of government authorities, which are best positioned to provide detailed insights and resolutions.

However, he indicated that the establishment of the Mokotakoti Military Base was a direct response to pleas for intervention by the local community around Maputsoe and Hleoheng in Leribe, as well as their traditional authorities.

“Communities surrounding Maputsoe and Hleoheng areas had long complained that the Mokotakoti area had become a hotspot for livestock theft, with stolen animals being smuggled across the border between Lesotho and South Africa,” he explained.

He also noted that the scope of the military base’s operations has significantly extended beyond Maputsoe and Hleoheng to cover a broader area, including Makhoroana and Matšekheng in the Berea district.

The wider coverage underscores the base’s critical role in maintaining security and stability across the region, he said.

Lt Colonel Lekola stated that the base plays a crucial role in supporting the efforts of the Maputsoe and Hlotse police in combating various forms of crime in the area, including the smuggling of dagga across the Mohokari border.

The army is also working hard to address rampant killings that have plagued Maputsoe and Hleoheng, he added.

In an interview with theReporter on Tuesday this week, Member of Parliament for Moselinyane constituency, Tomi Tayob expressed deep concern over the situation in the area.

Tayob warned that if the Mokotakoti Military Base were to vacate, Maputsoe would likely revert to its previous state of rampant crime, undermining the significant progress made in recent years.

The base has been instrumental in curbing animal theft along the borders between Lesotho and South Africa and has significantly reduced robbery and theft in Maputsoe.

“The presence of the Mokotakoti Military Base has been a game-changer for Maputsoe. Not only has it enhanced security, but it has also brought a sense of stability and development to our community.

“The base has become an integral part of our town’s fabric, and we appreciate the role they’ve played in transforming Maputsoe into the thriving town it is today.

“We can’t let disputes over land ownership undermine the progress they’ve made in keeping our community safe. The ministries involved are on the matter and will get to the bottom of it,” Tayob said in a telephone interview with theReporter.

On his part, Maputsoe Urban Council Councillor, Hlalefang Makesi, asserted that the mountainous area where the military base is located is community property, and not privately owned.

He said trees were planted there for community development purposes long before the army base was established.

“It is very suspicious for this person to come forward now and claim this property. There is no water here and a potential funder might even become reluctant to help this base because someone now claims the land belongs to them.

“We’ve witnessed the history of that base, including the tree planting through a community project. It’s surprising that someone suddenly shows up with a fraudulent lease, claiming ownership of the site,” Makesi noted.

He cautioned that the land dispute could deter funders from supporting the army’s development projects, such as installing water, which is a critical challenge at the base.

“This is a very serious issue; it may hinder funders from lending their support. The army needs help with water, which is a major challenge at the base,” he added.