Unfair Claim Process and Poor Service

I am writing to lodge a formal complaint against Tshiamiso Trust, the organization responsible for processing compensation claims for former mineworkers and their families.

On June 25th, 2025, I sent a detailed email to Tshiamiso Trust (reproduced below) raising serious concerns about how my late father’s claim was handled, and requesting an investigation into the matter. My father, Tsietsi Mathang, worked at Geduld Mine in the 1980s, and I, Mojalefa Mahasa, submitted a claim through their Mafeteng office in Lesotho on March 4th, 2024.

In my email, I explained several injustices I experienced, including:

Being given incomplete and misleading information by their staff

Submitting all required documents, including being photographed and fingerprinted - only to be told later that no claim was captured in their system

The rejection of a medical document clearly showing my father was treated for TB, despite their own website stating “ANY medical records of the deceased mineworker” are acceptable.

The lack of communication or follow-up from the Mafeteng office.

Despite the seriousness of my complaint, Tshiamiso Trust has not responded or even acknowledged my email. It’s now been almost a month, and I’m still waiting.

This is not just frustrating - it’s deeply disrespectful to families who lost their loved ones in the mines and are simply trying to claim what is rightfully theirs.

I request that this matter be taken seriously and escalated. Many others are likely suffering the same treatment in silence.

Attached below is the original email I sent to Tshiamiso Trust:

Dear Tshiamiso Trust Team,

My name is Mojalefa Mahasa, the son of the late Tsietsi Mathang, who worked at Geduld Mine during the 1980s. His industry number is W081720-3. I currently reside in Diepkloof, Soweto (South Africa), and I also have family in Lesotho, Mafeteng where my father was originally from.

I am writing to raise a serious concern about what I believe is an injustice caused by the current eligibility criteria, specifically around the medical records required for lodging a claim. I would like to explain the process I went through, and why I believe I was treated unfairly.

On January 5th, 2024, I visited your Mafeteng office to enquire about the necessary documents. I was advised to bring the following:

1. My late father's death certificate

2. His passport

3. The “makhulu skop”

4. The inheritance letter (Lengolo la Mojalefa)

5. My passport or ID

At no point was I informed that a medical report was a requirement. Following this, I spent nearly two months in Lesotho gathering all these documents, going from one chief to another to ensure I comp**** with all your stated requirements.

On March 4th, 2024, I returned to the Mafeteng office with all requested documents. I was then told by the same consultant that I now needed a medical report. Despite this, she proceeded to capture all my information, made copies, took my fingerprints, photos, and had me sign all the relevant forms. She explained that she would submit everything and wait to hear whether my claim could still proceed without the medical report.

I returned to South Africa, assuming I would be contacted once a decision had been made. But after a month with no update, I called the Tshiamiso Trust Call Centre, only to be told that there was no claim lodged on your system, and that only the death certificate and passport had been submitted. I was shocked. How is it possible that a person can walk into your office, get fingerprinted, photographed, sign documents, and yet somehow, only two documents are showing on your system?

For four months I attempted to contact the Mafeteng office without any success. Eventually, I visited your Parktown office in South Africa and took along everything I had previously submitted, along with a medical booklet my father carried when going to the doctor. That booklet clearly shows that he was being treated for TB.

However, I was told to return to Mafeteng, as the process must continue where it was originally started. On June 3rd, 2025, I returned to Mafeteng and was helped by a different person who told me that the medical booklet I had "does not qualify as a medical record". When I asked what exactly is considered a valid medical record, or where I could get it, I was not given a clear answer.

This has been deeply frustrating and disheartening. From my perspective, the bar for medical documentation is set in a way that unfairly excludes many people, especially from rural areas like Lesotho, where formal documentation is scarce, and most families, like mine, lived and died in poverty.

I also checked your official website, where you state: "ANY medical records of the deceased mineworker."

This clearly implies that even informal or hospital-issued documents should be acceptable, yet my submission, clearly showing my father was on TB treatment, was rejected.

This is a contradiction and an injustice. The process lacks consistency, transparency, and empathy for those who genuinely qualify but don’t have access to the "perfect" paperwork due to circumstances beyond their control.

I respectfully request:

1. A formal investigation into what happened with my initial submission in Mafeteng in March 2024.

2. Clarity and written guidelines on what constitutes a valid medical report, especially for deceased mineworkers from rural Lesotho.

3. Reconsideration of my late father’s claim, based on the documentation already submitted, or a clear and realistic path forward that does not further disadvantage me.

I believe my case reflects a broader issue that may be affecting many other families. I urge Tshiamiso Trust to review such practices and ensure fairness and dignity in this process.

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards, Mojalefa Mahasa Cell: 066 535 7857 ID/Passport No: 8706106451085 / A08374647 Claim Attempt Location: Mafeteng Office, Lesotho Claim Date: March 4th, 2024