Workers demand immediate ouster of LFM boss

Citing mismanagement and unjust retrenchments

TEBOHO KHATEBE MOLEFI and

MOTSAMAI MOKOTJO

MASERU – In a bold move highlighting growing discontent among employees, a coalition of workers at the Lesotho Flour Mills (LFM) has submitted a formal petition to the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, calling for the immediate termination of Chief Executive Officer Johanne Fourie du Plessis.

The petition, which has also been copied to several high-ranking officials including ministers and board members, accuses du Plessis of poor leadership, unilateral decision-making and an excessive reliance on retrenchment that has brought the company to the brink of collapse.

The petition, signed by a significant number of employees, outlines a series of management failures that they claim have crippled operations, particularly in the maize meal production line – a critical segment of the business that has been non-operational for several months.

This breakdown has not only affected production but also raised serious concerns about food security and employment stability.

Central to the workers’ grievances is what they describe as du Plessis’ “one-man show” approach to leadership. Since his appointment, he has been accused of ignoring stakeholder input and pushing through costly strategies without adequate consultation.

One such strategy, the “Five Finger Strategy,” was implemented at great expense only to be abandoned shortly after when it failed to deliver results. Instead of reviewing the failure collaboratively, du Plessis hastily introduced another plan, further demonstrating what employees call a “lack of vision and consistency.”

Perhaps the most pressing issue raised in the petition is the CEO’s repeated use of retrenchment as a primary tool for managing company challenges. In December 2024, over 41 employees were laid off with assurances that further job cuts would not be necessary.

However, management is now moving to terminate an additional 25 employees, allegedly without transparent criteria or justification. The petitioners argue that this violates the country’s  Labour Code, which stipulates that retrenchment should only be used as a last resort after all other cost-saving measures have been exhausted.

“The CEO has not demonstrated that alternative cost-saving measures have been explored or implemented,” the petition states. “It is neither logical nor justifiable to punish employees when only one product line is under strain.”

Workers also point to management’s failure to address the root cause of the company’s struggles, the non-operational maize meal production line. Rather than exploring sustainable solutions such as price adjustments, new packaging sizes, or marketing campaigns, LFM’s leadership has chosen to target employees – a move that has been met with anger and frustration.

Additionally, the petition highlights what employees see as misplaced financial priorities. Despite claiming financial distress, the company continues to engage expensive external service providers, including PR BN, a social media company, and JIT Company, which handles promotional activities across the country. These expenditures, workers argue, should be reconsidered before jobs are cut.

The lack of legal and procedural compliance in the retrenchment process is another major concern. Management has not provided clear information on how many jobs are targeted, what the expected financial savings would be, or how retrenchment compares to other cost-saving alternatives.

This opacity has led to accusations of arbitrary and unfair treatment of staff.

In response to these challenges, the petitioners are demanding not only the immediate removal of du Plessis but also greater accountability from the LFM Board of Directors for the failures that have led to the current crisis. They are also calling for the establishment of a joint working group comprising both management and employees to explore alternative cost-saving measures before any further retrenchments are considered.

The situation at LFM reflects broader issues of unemployment and economic instability in Lesotho. With the country already facing a critical job crisis, the workers emphasize that retrenchment should not be the first option for a struggling company – especially when poor management decisions are to blame.
As the petition circulates among government officials and stakeholders, all eyes are on the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to see how it will respond to the workers’ pleas. The outcome could set a significant precedent for corporate governance and workers’ rights in Lesotho.

For now, the employees of LFM remain resolute.

“We firmly believe that poor decision-making by management – not employees – is responsible for LFM’s current state,” the petition concludes.

“Retrenchment will only worsen Lesotho’s already critical unemployment crisis.”