By Neo Kolane
Local non-governmental organisation, She-Hive Association says it is on the brink of collapse after Sesotho Media and Development withdrew financial support from a multi-million maloti European Union funded project that the two were working on together.
She-Hive Association founder and chief executive officer, ‘Mamakhethe Phomane on Wednesday this week told a press conference that they could no longer afford rent, salaries and other running costs due to the withdrawal of the financial support in 2021.
The two parties entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in 2021, which was intended to guide and regulate the relationship between them in the implementation of the M17 million EU funded project on Human Rights, referenced as FED/2021/423-111
The contract’s main focus is the promotion on accountability and respect for human rights by Lesotho Mounted Police Service. Sesotho Media and Development and She-Hive Association are beneficiaries with different roles of Lead Applicant and Co- Applicant respectively, while the EU Delegation in Lesotho is the contracting authority.
Phomane claimed that problems started surfacing when the two organisations fought over a vehicle that was supposed to be purchased and registered as an asset in the books of She-Hive Association.
She said Sesotho Media and Development refused with the vehicle only offering usage to She-Hive upon request.
“To this day, the matter remains unresolved. We had however decided not to pursue it in favour of the project continuity.”
Phomane also alleged that another bone of contention was that Sesotho Media and Development had in January 2023 withheld funds meant for her association accusing it of failing to account for the funds it received in January 2022 covering the period of January to May of the same year.
Phomane maintained that She-Hive has always timeously availed the required financial documents to Sesotho Media and Development for spot checks and audit. There was therefore, no need for it to withhold the funding.
“We have handed over all our original documents to Sesotho Media and Development for ongoing auditing and it will not be an exaggeration to claim that they have illegally confiscated our records,” she said.
In a March 27, 2023 letter to Phomane, Sesotho Media and Development executive director Mamolefe Phetlane requested an amendment of the contract to reflect her organisation as the sole implementation partner.
“In light of the above matter, this letter serves as an official notice of termination of the co-applicant (She-Hive) in the action (project).
“Kindly take note that the duration of the notice period shall be 30 days from the date of receipt of this letter,” she wrote.
However, Petlane’s letter does not state why her organisation was withdrew funding to She-Hive.
Phomane added that in October 2021 the EU Delegation invited the organisations to a meeting where it cautioned Sesotho Media and Development to refrain from interfering with their labour matters. This was after Sesotho Media had given She-Hive an ultimatum to dismiss one of its employees on allegations of incompetence on the joint project.
The She-Hive founder said as a result of the withdrawal of the financial support, the association was indebted to its employees. It has also failed to pay rent for more than 12 months and risk being kicked out.
She said their landlord had already served the association with a notice of eviction and confiscation of equipment for non-payment.
“This is in addition to the fact that Sesotho Media, acting in common purpose with EU, are threatening to take all equipment bought for She-Hive under the project that was funded by the European Union.
“We do not expect EU to act any differently,” she said.
Approached for comment, the monitoring and evaluation officer of Sesotho Media and Development, Dr Lelokoana Lesia sent an email to us saying: “We humbly request for your patience on this matter, we will get back to you.”
On the other hand, Mookho Makhetha, the press and information officer of the Delegation of the European Union to Lesotho, emailed us on Wednesday saying, “Thank you for contacting us with your query. We will revert soonest.”
She had not responded to our questions at the time of going to print last night.
