Lesotho declares unemployment a national disaster

Lesotho’s unemployment rate has risen to 30%, up from 22.5% in 2019. Photo: Sechaba Mokhethi

Lesotho has declared a state of disaster over high unemployment rates.

The 2024 Lesotho Labour Force Survey, released last week, puts the country’s unemployment rate at 30%. Among people aged between 15 and 35, it is 39%. The previous survey was done in 2019 and reported unemployment at 22.5%.

The country’s unemployment became a national talking point last month after footage was circulated on social media showing thousands of unemployed young people flocking to the Lesotho Defence Force’s recruitment centres to interview for available positions.

GroundUp recently reported on job cuts at textile factories due to looming tariffs imposed by the United States.

The state of disaster was gazetted on Monday. It will remain in effect for two years.

The government has promised to create 62,000 jobs and to launch a M400-million (M1 = R1) initiative to fund youth-led businesses. Young people will now be able to register businesses for free. The costs of accessing government tender documents, which previously ranged between M500 and M3,000, have also been lowered.

A new procurement policy has been introduced to ensure 40% of public contracts go to youth, women and people with disabilities.

Other existing initiatives, such as Sebabatso, which links young Basotho entrepreneurs with international mentors, and Weekend Flea Markets, will be expanded.

Criticism

Kananelo Boloetse, a coordinator at the civil society group, Advocates for the Supremacy of the Constitution, commonly known as Section Two, has raised legal concerns.

“While the intent to address youth unemployment and job loss is commendable, using a disaster declaration under an Act not designed for economic hardship is legally questionable and may be constitutionally vulnerable,” Boloetse told GroundUp.

Dr Tlohang Letsie, head of the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the National University of Lesotho, says the declaration will have minimal impact.

He says it is a stopgap measure that lacks the depth needed to meaningfully address the crisis.

“What we are likely to see is a creation of unsustainable temporary jobs that are going to come to an end within a short period of time.”

He added that the declaration serves a political purpose by presenting the government as responsive to public concerns, which could ease political pressure in the short term.

While Letsie acknowledged that the declaration could allow for funds to be channelled toward unemployment, he cautioned that funds could fall “into corrupt hands”.

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