Maseru — The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Ts'eliso Mokhosi, says thousands of former Basotho mineworkers are still unable to access benefits owed to them by 51 foreign companies due to legal and administrative challenges.

Speaking during the Leadership and Accountability Summit on Wednesday, Mr Mokhosi said his ministry is aware of the large sums of money owed to ex-mineworkers and their beneficiaries.

He said one of the main obstacles is that some of the required documents can only be obtained through the Office of the Master of the High Court in South Africa, making it difficult for many Basotho to complete the claims process.

Mr Mokhosi made the remarks in response to concerns raised by TEBA officials, who said many people wrongly believe the organisation is responsible for delays in the payment of benefits.He said the ministry is engaging the companies involved to improve access to the funds, adding that only Tshiamiso has agreed to open an office in Lesotho to assist former mineworkers with their claims.

The minister also said during the Tshiamiso media briefing held last week, stakeholders agreed to review the challenges preventing Basotho ex-mineworkers from receiving their benefits.He further indicated that Parliament has been requested to engage the South African Parliament on the matter to help simplify the legal processes and improve access to the funds.

Meanwhile, Manager TEBA Lesotho   Mr Kali Moeletsi, said although substantial amounts of money are believed to be available for former mineworkers, it remains difficult for beneficiaries, particularly family members of deceased ex-mineworkers, to access the funds.

Mr Moeletsi said many people travel from remote mountain areas of Lesotho seeking assistance but are unable to obtain the beneficiary letters required from the Office of the Master of the High Court in South Africa.He added that many claimants are forced to rely on intermediaries to process their claims, resulting in significant financial losses.

Mr Moeletsi said the situation has led to widespread misunderstanding, with many people blaming TEBA for delays in the payment of benefits, when the main challenges lie within the legal requirements for processing the claims.For many decades, thousands of Basotho worked in South African mines, where they contributed to pension, provident and compensation schemes administered by various mining companies and institutions.