Lesotho Case Law

Likhapha Seliane V The Principal Secretary- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations & 2 Others (C of A (CIV) No 18/2025)

Likhapha Seliane V The Principal Secretary- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations & 2 Others (C of A (CIV) No 18/2025) [2025] LSCA 49 (7 November 2025)

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

C of A (CIV) No 18/2025

Lesotho Court of Appeal held that recalling a consul general for lack of exequatur was unlawful, and awarded compensation for the unexpired term.

• Diplomatic appointments
• Termination of employment
• Legitimate expectation
• Procedural fairness
• Vienna convention on consular relations
• Exequatur

Read case analysis

Motseoa Pule & 90 Others V Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture & 2 Others (C of A (CIV) 80/2024)

Motseoa Pule & 90 Others V Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture & 2 Others (C of A (CIV) 80/2024) [2025] LSCA 37 (2 May 2025)

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

C of A (CIV) 80/2024

The High Court correctly declined jurisdiction because the arbitration clause in the employment contracts was binding and had not been set aside or rendered inoperative under section 4 of the Arbitration Act 1980. The interim relief sought was not in aid of arbitration and thus not permissible under section 22. The costs order against the appellants was inappropriate given their circumstances.

Source excerpt

• Jurisdiction
• Arbitration clauses
• Interim interdicts
• Termination of employment
• Costs orders

Read case analysis

Nonkululeko Zally V The Prime Minister & 3 Others (CIV/APN/0012/2023)

Nonkululeko Zally V The Prime Minister & 3 Others (CIV/APN/0012/2023) [2024] LSHC 200 (18 October 2024)

Court

High Court

Case number

CIV/APN/0012/2023

The Prime Minister's decision to terminate the Applicant's contract was based on perceived misconduct and breach of trust, thus requiring procedural fairness and a hearing; failure to afford a hearing rendered the termination unlawful.

Source excerpt

• Termination of employment
• Executive power
• Procedural fairness
• Audi alteram partem
• Legitimate expectation
• Judicial review

Read case analysis

Mots'eoa Pule & 90 Others V Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture & 2 Others (CIV/APN/0028/2023)

Mots'eoa Pule & 90 Others V Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture & 2 Others (CIV/APN/0028/2023) [2024] LSHC 274 (4 September 2024)

Court

High Court

Case number

CIV/APN/0028/2023

The existence of a binding arbitration clause in the applicants' contracts ousts the jurisdiction of the High Court to entertain the dispute. The parties voluntarily chose arbitration as their dispute resolution mechanism, and the court must respect that choice unless the agreement is set aside or found contrary to public policy, which is not the case here.

Source excerpt

• Jurisdiction
• Arbitration clauses
• Contractual dispute resolution
• Termination of employment

Read case analysis

Marumo Tsili V COMPOL & 4 Others (CIV/APN/140/2020)

Marumo Tsili V COMPOL & 4 Others (CIV/APN/140/2020) [2024] LSHC 13 (15 February 2024)

Court

High Court

Case number

CIV/APN/140/2020

The High Court held that a police officer resigned with immediate effect before his early retirement took effect, so the retirement claim failed.

• Retirement
• Resignation
• Termination of employment
• Employee benefits
• Disciplinary proceedings
• Employment-law

Read case analysis

Lebohang Moreke v The Prime Minister (C of A (CIV) 15/2023)

Lebohang Moreke v The Prime Minister (C of A (CIV) 15/2023) [2023] LSCA 7 (17 November 2023)

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

C of A (CIV) 15/2023

The Court of Appeal held that principal secretaries’ contracts could end coterminously with the appointing government and dismissed the appeal with costs.

• Termination of employment
• Statutory interpretation
• Waiver of statutory rights
• Judicial delay
• Employment-law
• Contract-law

Read case analysis

Hlalele v The Honourable Prime Minister of Lesotho Dr. Moeketsi Majoro (CIV/APN 272 of 20)

Hlalele v The Honourable Prime Minister of Lesotho Dr. Moeketsi Majoro (CIV/APN 272 of 20) [2020] LSHC 52 (9 December 2020)

Court

High Court

Case number

CIV/APN 272 of 20

The High Court of Lesotho dismissed an urgent application for interim relief, holding that reinstatement was inappropriate because adequate alternative remedies existed.

• Interim relief
• Reinstatement
• Termination of employment
• Adequate remedy
• Interim-relief
• Employment-law

Read case analysis

Lekhooa v Prime Minister

Lekhooa v Prime Minister (CONSTITUTIONAL CASE 17 of 2017) [2019] LSHC 50 (5 August 2019)

Court

High Court

Case number

CONSTITUTIONAL CASE 17 of 2017

The Prime Minister's decision to terminate the applicant's secondment without affording him a hearing and without observing the three months' notice period breached the principle of legality and the Rule of Law, rendering the termination unconstitutional. The applicant is entitled to salary and benefits for the three months' notice period.

Source excerpt

• Executive power
• Procedural fairness
• Termination of employment
• Rule of law
• Judicial review

Read case analysis

Rasekila v Telecom Lesotho (C of A (CIV) 41 of 2017)

Rasekila v Telecom Lesotho (C of A (CIV) 41 of 2017) [2018] LSCA 3 (7 December 2018)

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

C of A (CIV) 41 of 2017

The Court of Appeal of Lesotho held that Rasekila’s acting appointment was lawfully ended and his later dismissal for disobeying orders was valid.

• Termination of employment
• Procedural fairness
• Disciplinary proceedings
• Employment benefits
• Labour-law
• Termination-of-employment

Read case analysis

Rammokoane and Others v PS Ministry of Defence (CIV/APN 71 of 16)

Rammokoane and Others v PS Ministry of Defence (CIV/APN 71 of 16) [2017] LSHC 7 (26 January 2017)

Court

High Court

Case number

CIV/APN 71 of 16

The High Court held that the applicants were not lawfully appointed as public officers because the Public Service Commission did not make or authorise their appointments.

• Public service appointments
• Delegation of authority
• Termination of employment
• Estoppel
• Public-service-applications
• Public-service-appointments

Read case analysis