Vodacom, ministry commission new tower

By Matšeliso Phulane

Vodacom Lesotho and the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICTSTI) yesterday commissioned a cell tower at Ha Tšepe in Leribe district in commemoration of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

The landmark event signifies an important step towards bridging the digital divide in Lesotho.

The M 370 million tower was funded by the Universal Science Fund and the African Development Bank and operated by Vodacom Lesotho.

In her remarks, the minister of MICTSTI, Nthati Moorosi, urged the Ha Tšepe community to safeguard the tower from vandalism.

She said the facility would enable local villagers to alert law enforcement agencies of any criminal activities in their area.

Speaking at the same occasion, Vodacom’s Tšepo Ntaopane said besides facilitating phone calls, the newly erected tower also allows clients to conduct M-Pesa transactions, receive old age pension payments, and sell airtime vouchers. It also enables online learning for students and other opportunities.

He called on the community to protect the tower, emphasizing that vandalism attracts repair costs and also hinder efforts to construct similar towers in other areas across the country.