By Kefiloe Kajane
Lesotho clearing agents’ association this week acknowledged receiving the letter from the principal secretary of ministry of trade industry Maile Masoebe that stated cessation to issue import permits to all cars coming from be forward Japan.
An aggrieved local clearing agent said they did not understand the business malpractices that the ministry is alluding to, as clearing agents have a good relationship with be Forward Japan.
The clearing agent who preferred not to be named indicated that there is only one agency that has a problem with forwarding agency in Durban which is behind with its payment, hence Asian company Be Forward Japan decided to hold the agency’s cars. She said they are meeting with the PS today to discuss the matter further, but their business is still continuing.
This comes after the government banned the import of vehicles bought from Be Forward Japan.
The development was announced by the ministry of trade and industry’s PS, Masoebe, in a notification issued on November 30.
“The ministry of trade and industry has noted with dismay some of the business irregularities (business malpractices) done by Be Forward and its affiliates,” Masoebe stated.
“As the primary responsibility of the ministry is to safeguard the interests of the consumers, the ministry has taken an executive decision to cease to issue import permits with immediate effect for all the cars bought from Be Forward Japan,” he added.
This notification titled: ‘Cessation to issue Import Permits to All Cars Coming from Be Forward Japan’, was addressed to the president of Lesotho Clearing Agents Association.
Masoebe concluded his notification by stating that: “You are hereby requested to take note of these developments.”
Meanwhile, the ministry of trade and industry’s last month announced plans to put a temporary moratorium on the issuing of car dealership licenses were exposed.
After a leaked internal memo to this effect triggered a backlash, the ministry moved swiftly to do damage control by claiming it is close to completing investigations on more than five foreign dealers who were found to be operating with the same license.
Trade and industry minister, Thabiso Molapo, at the time said some of the owners of these businesses are based in their countries and only deploy unqualified and incompetent workers in Lesotho to run their businesses.
Molapo said they have had cases of multiple dealers using one license to trade, which leaves the legitimacy of their business in doubt.
