Latest news with #Lefalatsa
TimesLIVE
10-07-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Trump tariffs create national disaster for tiny Lesotho
When Limpho Lefalatsa first learnt she had lost her job at a Lesotho garment factory after 12 years due to US President Donald Trump's decision to hit her tiny African homeland with a crippling tariff on its exports, she was in shock. 'I thought I was going insane. It made no sense,' the 29-year-old said at her house in the capital Maseru. 'When the truth started sinking in, I felt so helpless.' Lefalatsa's monthly factory wage of about R3,000 had supported herself, sent her 12-year-old daughter to school and paid for the blood pressure medicine her elderly grandmother needs to survive. Now that income is gone, and she still does not understand why. She's not alone. When Trump announced tariffs on imports for nearly all of the US' trading partners in April, the Southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho was singled out for the highest rate: 50%. Lesotho officials were baffled, not least since their country, which Trump disparaged as a nation 'nobody has ever heard of', was the poster child of a flagship US programme aimed at helping poor African economies develop through trade. The Trump administration has defended the tariffs as reciprocal, saying that Lesotho charges 99% tariffs on US goods. Lesotho officials say they do not know how the White House arrived at that figure. The US state department did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. Lesotho's textiles sector, its leading export industry, is heavily dependent on the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act, a US trade initiative that offers qualifying African nations duty-free access to the US market. On the back of that preferential tariff treatment, Lesotho developed a textiles sector that, until now, was the biggest private employer with some 40,000 jobs and accounted for roughly 90% of manufacturing exports, according to Oxford Economics. Exports to the US under AGOA, including Levi and Wrangler jeans from a textile sector that largely employs women like Lefalatsa, make up a tenth of Lesotho's $2bn GDP. That now looks set to disappear. This week Lesotho declared a national state of disaster due to the 'high rates of youth unemployment and job losses' caused by uncertainty surrounding the tariffs. CANCELLED ORDERS, MASS LAYOFFS 'You can see there are no people here,' said Teboho Kobeli, owner of Afri-Expo, which makes jeans for export, gesturing towards rows of unmanned sewing machines at his factory. While Trump suspended application of his tariff barrage for three months just days after his so-called 'Liberation Day' announcement to give trading partners time to negotiate deals with Washington, in Lesotho the damage was already done. The simple prospect of a 50% tariff caused many US importers to cancel orders, leading, in turn, to mass sector-wide layoffs. And what orders still exist now bear more risk than reward. 'Employers ... are just scared of taking more orders lest they plunge themselves into costs they are not ready to service,' independent political and economic analyst Lefu Thaela told Reuters. The White House has yet to announce its final tariff on imports from Lesotho. Trump's 90-day suspension was due to expire on Wednesday. But factory owners like Kobeli, who has dismissed 200 workers from his US-focused production lines, fear the worst. 'If we still have these high tariffs, it means we must forget about producing for the US and go as fast as we can ... (looking for) other available markets,' he said. A spokesperson for Lesotho's trade ministry declined to comment until the government receives official communication from the Trump administration. However, others, like retrenched garment worker Nteboheleng Hlapane, have a message for the US president. 'I just pray to God that he touches your soul,' said the 37-year-old, who can no longer afford the inhaler her son needs to treat his asthma. 'Think about other people ... They are suffering because of your selfishness, your cruelty.'
The Citizen
05-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Kokosi Catholic Church uplifts community through Youth and Father's Day celebrations
The St Augustine Catholic Church in Kokosi went the extra mile to make Youth Month and other recent events memorable for its community. According to active church member Anastasia Lefalatsa, young people from the church helped organise a heartwarming Father's Day surprise. Each father in the congregation received a special meal and a blue ribbon as a token of appreciation. 'We held this as a surprise to make the fathers feel that they are special and valued,' Lefalatsa said. It was the first time the church hosted such an event. In addition to this, Father Don Jastin travelled to Wedela on Youth Day to host a workshop for young people from both Kokosi and Wedela. Critical issues such as unemployment, drug abuse, and gangsterism were discussed. Looking ahead, the church plans to continue its community outreach with a special initiative for Mandela Day. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Police deaths: Crisis sparks debate on criminal justice reform
Police deaths remain a pressing challenge in the country, with incidents involving the deaths of SAPS members steadily increasing over the years. According to Bloemfontein Courant, this not only raises concerns about the safety and well-being of those who serve and protect the public but also highlights broader issues within the country's criminal justice system. While speaking at the memorial service of the police officers who were found in the Hennops River in Centurion days after they were reported missing, Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union Free State chairperson Thabo Lefalatsa highlighted the serious issue, calling for a review of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. 'There is a serious need for us as a country and parliamentarians to review the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, in particular Section 49 of that act. We have issued members of the South African Police Service with firearms to effectively deal with criminals. As long as we have Section 49 in its current format, we cannot effectively respond to the heinous crimes confronting our members.' Lefalatsa also called on community members to assist police in effectively combating crime and ensuring safety. Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu addressed the issue last week at the funeral of Constable Boipelo Senoge, one of the three officers who were laid to rest. Mchunu described it as a crisis that endangers both community safety and the integrity of South Africa's justice system, condemning the brutal acts that have led to the deaths of police officers across the country. 'As we reflect on this tragic loss, we must also acknowledge the ever-present challenges we face. To fight crime effectively, we need every one of our members. Families and communities are the ones who suffer most from the agony caused by criminals, whether these criminals are South African or foreign nationals,' he said. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
