Faced with an extreme lack of resources for their operations, diplomatic staff representing the Kingdom of Lesotho in South Africa have resorted to trafficking alcohol.
Liquor is procured duty-free, and then sold both in South Africa and in Lesotho. This is done largely to cover the costs of doing their work, since the diplomats’ expenses are often not covered by their government.
Majoro Mohapi, Lesotho’s consul general in Johannesburg said: ‘I would say 90% of my staff are doing that and they are making profits out it. To me it’s an illegal business because they are defrauding the South African revenue authority of tax.’
His office had recently had its electricity disconnected for non-payment of its accounts. ‘My staff reconnected it,’ he said.
Mohapi added that Lesotho’s diplomatic presence in South Africa was not serving a productive purpose, owing largely to the shortage of resources. ‘It’s degrading our mission, it is defeating the purpose of us being here. It is an insult to send someone and deprive them of resources.’