By Maleshoane Ratsebe
The National Governing Council (NGC) of MISA Lesotho has advanced the Institute’s intention to move into a social enterprise venture for financial viability and sustainability of the media organisation.
The 2025 Activity Report of MISA Lesotho reveals the advances initiated by the NGC to “demolish the old and dilapidated building of MISA-Lesotho located at Happy Villa, plot 1B,”in Maseru. The move is expected to make way for an erection of a new state-of-the-art architectural design building.
While unpacking the report during the Institute’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Saturday, MISA Lesotho’s Secretary General, Mr Palo Mohlotsane, said the proposed modern structure will serve as an office space for the new MISA Lesotho headquarters, “as well as for other income generating initiatives.”
Mr Mohlotsane announced MISA-Lesoth0 had already proposed to a handful property developers and investors to embark on the giant property development project with MISA Lesotho. He was addressing a score of members of MISA Lesotho (General Assembly) gathered at the Institute’s premises in Happy Villa for the AGM.
With this project, MISA Lesotho also intend to reserve the rest of the office block for rental units for for Income Generation. The Institute will erect a modern Cafeteria for offering meals to staff and outsiders. The new structure will further have two Halls for hire. Erection of the MISA-Lesotho Media, Information and Innovation Hub, which serves as a central space for journalists to come and get information is also in the cards under the same project. The latter, according to the report, will offer training on digital advances and also help freelance journalists to produce their stories for various media.
Also top on the list to be done under the project, Mr Mohlotsane announced, is that of MISA-Lesotho Journalism Training Centre, “which will be fitted with grand furniture fit-for-purpose, which is a conference centre for the training of journalists – offering short courses”, he said.
According to MISA Lesotho Chairperson, Mr Kananelo Boloetse, constitutional amendment will map the first step into allowing the Institute to transit into the proposed developments.
As is, Mr Boloetse raised, the constitution of MISA Lesotho does not easily allow for the proposed transition into a social enterprise.
“If we are a media related entity, we need to transition with the latest advancements in the media sector as a way to remain relevant and to be able to tackle present day challenges,” Mr Boloetse said, further pointing out that the media landscape has changed significantly.
He added that most organisations of similar nature to MISA had long seized operations because they were outdated, hence the need for MISA Lesotho to revamp, lest the Institute follows suit.
Elsewhere in the report, MISA Lesotho highlights tough times the Institute went through, particularly in 2024:
“In June, 2024, the National Director of MISA-Lesotho (Mr Lekhetho Ntsukunyane) submitted to the National Governing Council (NGC) a proposal for a three-month (01 July – 30th September 2024) Organisational Recovery Plan to be instituted to give the Institute time to recuperate from financial, programmatic and reputational loss of business since October, 2023,” the report says.
This loss, the report adds, had brought MISA Lesotho to a near closure or pushed it to a precipice.
Meanwhile, the General Assembly had elected a three-member Resolutions Panel comprised of members; Ms. ’Maseipone Mokhethi, Ms. Ntšepase Heshepe and Mr Rapitso Rapitso. The panel is elected at the AGM to keep track of all the resolutions made by the General Assembly. The resolutions made this year include:
- That the AGM continues despite a petition launched by Mpepuoa Weekly to postpone the event. The General Assembly ruled that the petition was baseless.
- The General Assembly also resolved that some of the issues raised by Mpepuoa Weekly and others members will be addressed by the final audit report. It was brought to attention of the General Assembly that the NGC had engaged an audit service from Pekane Auditors, and that the audit was underway.
- It was resolved that the Activity Report should be updated to include financial values alongside each and every projects mentioned in the report.
- It has been resolved that once the final audit report has been issued, the NGC should convene a special conference to deliberate on both the audit and the updated activity reports.
- The Special Conference will also deliberate on the proposed amendments to the constitution of MISA Lesotho, the General Assembly resolved.
- The membership database of MISA Lesotho must be cleaned to remove members who have failed to renew their membership by duly paying their renewal subscription fees for the 2024-2025 financial year and beyond. The Non-paid-up members will be removed both from the email list of MISA Lesotho and in the Membership WhatsApp group.
- There is urgent need to develop a MISA Lesotho Election manual for Elective AGMs.
- The membership fees for MISA Lesotho should be reviewed.
- Disposal of the MISA Lesotho vehicle, Honda Odyssey, should be expedited by the NGC and ND, following proper procedures guided by legal and financial expertise.
