Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports, Arts and Social Development Mr Pitso Lesaoana says his ministry has resolved the old age payment challenge after they failed to get their dues last month. In his statement in the National Assembly on Monday, Mr Lesaoana said his Ministry had on May 05 made a notice that the old age payment will be made in June as double payment.

However, he announced that the situation has since changed as the old age pensions payments will be made available from Thursday this week. He highlighted that only the old age pensioners who were supposed to receive their money on May 8, 9 and 10 will be affected by this change’ After the new arrangement of old age payment was made, the Minister said they will only get a single pay and not a double pay as was earlier announced.

In response to questions asked by the Members of Parliament, the Minister said the delay in payment of the old age pension was due to the payment system failure which he was unable to clarify further. He also promised that once the ministry introduces cashless payment, some of the challenges facing the payment of the old age pensions will be resolved. The districts which have been affected by the old age pension payments are Maseru, Teyeteyaneng, Thaba Tseka, Berea, Leribe, Mafeteng, Quthing and Botha Bothe.