Silent Scribbles

 By Tholoana Lesenya  MASERU- In a world where style meets storytelling, a new star is about to rise in the Jewellery industry. Palesa Maqalika, a passionate and visionary entrepreneur, is preparing to open doors of her very first Jewellery boutique, Mbali's Jewellery, this coming weekend, May 24, 2025, promising a dazzling collection that blends elegance, craftsmanship and personal flair. With a lifelong love for design and a keen eye for detail, Palesa has transformed her dream into a business that reflects both heritage and innovation. What started as a small online venture and word-of-mouth commissions is now blossoming into a full-fledged retail presence in Leribe, Hlotse. "I’ve always believed that Jewellery is more than just an accessory—it's an expression of identity and emotion," Palesa says. "Every piece we create tells a story and is designed to make the wearer feel special and confident." Mbali's Jewellery will offer a curated range of handcr...

 By Tholoana Lesenya MASERU-In a modest café tucked into the heart of Maseru, music floats in the air, laughter blends with rustling fabrics, and the pulse of local creativity radiates with quiet confidence. This is not just a gathering, it is a statement. And at the center of it all is Potlako Mohai, a man whose vision has been instrumental in reimagining how Basotho fashion expresses itself to the world. As the co-founder and driving force behind Wear Local Friday, Mohai has helped transform an ordinary idea into a national movement, where fashion is more than fabric. It is a statement of identity, a platform for economic justice, and a creative industry with the potential to clothe a nation in pride. From Friday Fad to Cultural Fixture Wear Local Friday began in 2016 as a simple yet powerful concept, designate one day a week where Basotho people proudly wear clothing made by local designers. Alongside collaborators Phoka Thene, TK Mofokeng, and Khojane Lepholisa, Mohai planned t...

 By Tholoana Lesenya MASERU-Justice Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu, a respected jurist, scholar, and international judge, passed away in 2025 at the age of 84. His death brings to a close a life defined by astonishing service to the law, the nation of Lesotho, and the global pursuit of justice. Born on December 11, 1940, in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Justice Maqutu grew up during a time of intense political and legal transformation in Southern Africa. His early years were shaped by an education that would eventually take him far from home, yet always bring him back to serve it. He studied law at the prestigious University of Edinburgh in Scotland, earning his law degree in 1969. It was there that he laid the intellectual foundation for a legal career that would span more than five decades and cross national boundaries. Upon returning to Lesotho, Maqutu began his legal practice as an advocate, appearing before the High Court and the Court of Appeal. His reputation for thoroughness,...

 By Tholoana Lesenya MASERU-In the silentcorners of homes across the world, places meant to accommodate dreams and raise families, unspeakable horrors unfold in whispers and screams that too often go unheard. Behind closed doors and drawn curtains, an unseen war rages. The casualties? Women and children. The perpetrators? Often, the very men who once promised to love and protect them. She was only 28 when her story ended, not in illness or accident, but in an unhuman act of violence. Her name was Mpho (not real name), a teacher, a mother, a woman who laughed loudly and loved deeply. Her body was found two days after neighbors reported bizarre sounds coming from the house. Her husband confessed: he did not mean to, he said. He was angry. He lost control. That story, with its chilling familiarity, has echoed across villages, towns, and cities like a cursed refrain. Every week, headlines tell of new victims. A toddler found lifeless in a pit latrine. A teenage girl strangled in a fiel...