19 March 2024 by Pascalinah Kabi

As of today, three women from Mokhotlong who failed to appear and present their case against Letšeng Diamonds Mine are now indebted to the mine for an unspecified sum of money.

This comes after Chief Justice Sakoane Sakoane granted an absolute order in favour of Letšeng Diamonds Mine due to the absence of the three plaintiffs in court today to provide oral testimony in their case.

Their failure to appear before the court prompted Advocate Motiea Tele KC, representing Letšeng Diamonds Mine, to seek an absolute order against ‘Malulang Lematla, ‘Mamoalosi Ntsiki, and Ntaoleng Phoro.

“We request that an absolute order be granted against these three plaintiffs, with costs,” Ad Tele stated.

Chief Justice Sakoane granted the order, along with costs. Lematla, Ntsiki, and Phoro are among the members of the Pae-lea-Itlhatsoa community who sought legal recourse against Letšeng Diamonds Mine a few years ago.

Alongside ‘Mapontšo Lematla, Lentsoete Mohai, and Sephapo Moletsane, the trio petitioned the court to compel Letšeng Diamonds Mine to compensate them for the seven years they served as emergency responders in their respective villages within Pae-lea-Itlhatsoa.

The six argued that Letšeng Diamonds Mine made them work as volunteer emergency responders from October 31, 2012, to May 2020, without pay. They each demand the court order the mine to pay them M2,500 per month for the years they worked as volunteer emergency responders.

The court heard from Adv Tele that the mine rejected their requests for monthly salaries in April 2013. The case was heard in court on March 12, 13, and 19, 2024. Mohai and Moletsane testified last week. Lematla, Ntsiki, and Phoro were scheduled to testify alongside Mapontšo today.