For many journalists, it begins with a dream, a passion to inform, a desire to speak truth to power, and an ambition to write stories that shape society. But for many early-career journalists and newly graduated workers engaged as interns in Lesotho’s media houses, their dreams are turned into a nightmare. As journalists strive to hold power accountable, few realise that many of them are themselves victims of a broken media system in urgent need of reforms.

Behind the news headlines they write are stories of unpaid labour, toxic working environments and a lack of institutional support for their mental health. And yet, there is no one to hold their employers accountable because there is no association or union for the welfare of journalists.

Seventeen journalists interviewed for the purpose of this piece, of which seven spoke on record while 10 declined to speak on the record and participated in numbers for this investigation, cited fears of blacklisting, loss of employment or reputational damage. This shows a media culture where silence ensures survival. 

Below are responses from journalists who did not want to participate in the investigation: 

Journalist 1- The Post Newspaper 

I cannot share details of my working environment, they will put my job on the line as much as I want to help. 

Journalist 2- Moeletsi oa Basotho and Lesotho Today

I am currently busy, but I am afraid of getting in trouble with my bosses when they learn about my taking part in the investigation. 

Journalist 3 – Lesotho Times

I consulted my bosses about responding and they said I am tarnishing the company’s name since I am already talking to you, threatening to fire me. I can no longer be part of this investigation.

Journalist 4 – Radio Lesotho

I am afraid to respond to your questions while I still work here. It is a threat to my job.

Journalist 5 – former employee with The Post Newspaper 

My relationship with my former colleagues is very sour and I want nothing to do with that company. Also, the way I left was not good.

Journalist 6 – former employee with The Post Newspaper 

I am afraid I cannot be part of this study. I could be blacklisted, not just in journalism but wherever I would wish to apply for jobs.

Journalist 7 – former employee with The Post Newspaper 

I have not been with The Post for a long time and this can threaten my job. 

Journalist 8 – Public Eye

I do not think I can comment on this. Every media house has its complexities, which I am not ready to talk about.  

Journalist 9 – The Reporter

Sorry, I am not comfortable answering.

Journalist 10 – The Reporter 

I cannot answer, I am sorry. I am no longer with the company. 

Yet, those who shared their experiences exposed issues, struggles and the state of journalism in Lesotho, a profession that promises truth but often delivers trauma.

An anonymous former employee of Informative Newspaper described a working environment that is toxic, where employees worked without formal contracts and were filled with mental suffering without institutional support in place.

“There was no formal contract, it was a verbal agreement. Sometimes there was no payment and no one would explain anything. It felt like modern-day slavery,” she shares.

She further indicated that mental health was never considered. She ended up experiencing panic attacks and sleep paralysis which led to her resignation.

“We stayed because of desperation. Media managers feed on vulnerability,” she stated.

Safety was also a concern. She said at times they would be given assignments that needed them to be dispatched early in the morning and late at night without transportation allowances.

Thapelo Moeketsi, a seasoned journalist with seven years in the field, is another victim of this modern-day slavery who has not been paid for his work. He worked for MafetengCommunity Radio Station and later joined the Weekly Observer.

“I was told I was volunteering. At first, I did not mind, I was driven by passion. I did not just fall in love with it, I went to school to study it” he said.

However, in his recent job, he was promised transport and telecommunications allowance, all of which he never received. He said he’d often pay for his transport out of his pocket and wrote stories that would never be published.

“It is called exploitation,” he said.

He said the environment was welcoming at first but eventually turned toxic. 

“I felt overworked, unsupported and began questioning whether I was even good at this profession.”

Despite experiencing anxiety and depression, Moeketsireported the situation to his supervisors. Their response was always vague. They promised things would change, but nothing ever did.

Moeketsi said that he never received a contract, it was a verbal agreement.

“I thought of quitting, but my passion keeps me here. Journalism has the power to hold the government accountable and that is what keeps me going. Amidst the experience, I am grateful for the opportunities because they made me who I am today,” Moeketsi concluded.

‘Malebabo Majoro’s experience at Mxxl Radio, Lesotho Times and Lesotho Tribune reveals a systemic pattern of neglect for interns. At Mxxl Radio, she said there was no supervision. Internship students had to figure things out themselves and relied on an outsider to write their reports.

“We left with nothing learned,” she said.

Majoro described the Lesotho Times newsroom as a toxic culture where newcomers were mocked. She said one would be mocked for mistakes and denied credit for the work they were assigned.

At Lesotho Tribune, she found herself paid below the minimum living wage. She said it was impossible to survive in this economy. She ultimately left journalism after experiencing severe burnout and underpayment.

The crisis deepens as recurring stories reveal a consistent pattern of young journalists being exploited by working long hours for little to no compensation, denied their voices in newsrooms/ articles and suffering emotionally and mentally, with no support systems in place.

Anonymous, who worked with Newsday, The Mail and 357 FM Radio Station, highlighted that for journalists to be paid, they are told to source potential advertisers, an experience she described as overtime for doing your job as a journalist and marketing personnel.

Another anonymous person who worked with The Post Newspaper said they were never paid for their work. 

“They told me that the company has no money as they make money through advertising.”

She said she was promised compensation for her work, but up to this day, she has not received anything.

“The energy in the newsroom was okay between the co-workers, but the toxicity came from the management who displayed favouritism in broad daylight. Some people’s work was published while others were not. The management would choose people to assign and communicate to,” explained anonymous from Newsday.

Another anonymous with Informative and Lesotho Times added to these by stressing that the supervisors are the ones exerting toxicity, which made it impossible for many to report it.

Working hours were excessive, with no compensation or contracts, just appointment letters lacking termination clauses. She ultimately left journalism after experiencing severe burnout and underpayment.

Beneath the exhaustion and exploitation lies a growing crisis that is often overlooked, which is mental health.

“I had panic attacks and sleep paralysis. All I thought about was work,” a former Informative journalist confided.

Many speak of anxiety, burnout and depression. SelloaneNyakane, who worked with the Lesotho Tribune, was eventually diagnosed with major depression.

“That was the final straw. I had to resign and choose my mental health,” she said.

Journalism is more than a profession for many Basotho journalists, but it is a calling. They enter newsrooms with positive thinking, carrying not just notebooks but a hope to make a difference. But once inside, that hope meets a brutal reality.

Bokang Masasa, Editor at Lesotho Tribune, acknowledged the difficult conditions but framed internships as character-building.

“I always tell my internship students that in this life, especially in Lesotho, you get motivated by hunger to work harder and rise above starvation.”

Masasa emphasised that internships are meant for light work and grooming. She said they, however, are very sensitive when it comes to the issue of taking internship students since their budget is limited and cannot afford to give them monthly stipends while attached with them. 

While she acknowledged that mental health is a sensitive issue in journalism, she stated that there are no well-being policies in place at Lesotho Tribune for their staff and in any other media house.

She further highlighted that media houses depend significantly on advertisements for their sustainability and to pay salaries, Lesotho Tribune included, however portraying the advertising market as highly competitive, “making it challenging for us to attract clients.”

“Despite our limitations, we strive to share the little revenue we generate among our employees to keep them motivated during these tough times, meeting them halfway in terms of transportation to their assignment destinations and making sure they carry out their tasks without feeling any weight in their pockets,” said Masasa.

Most of the journalists interviewed joined the industry through internships. However, they were rarely paid, a fact some managers defend.

Abel Chapatarongo, CEO of The Post Newspaper portrayed that they are not under any obligation to pay interns. They are paid by MNDS as stated in their internship documentation.

 “Those not paid had an agreement with us beforehand. We strive to create a happy family at The Post,” he said.

Chapatarongo maintained that employees are paid above the minimum wage but declined to share figures for confidentiality.

On mental health support, he said, “It’s not our area. That should come from the government.”

The Editor-in-chief of The Post, Shakeman Mugari, defended unpaid internships as standard practice worldwide.

“Interns are given resources like transport. We do not see them as labour, but as training opportunities.”

But unpaid internships are no joke. According to 

Under Lesotho’s Labour Act No. 3 of 2024, unpaid internships are a violation of workers’ rights. The act states “worker means a person who performs work in any capacity for an employer or at an employer’s business or undertaking”.  It further states that workers must be paid for an average total of 246 hours monthly, with specific overtime rates for hours beyond 195. This definition clearly includes interns, as they perform work within an employer’s business. 

Therefore, not paying interns for their labour is not only a violation of the Labour Act but also a breach of their human rights.  

They are also a direct contradiction to the country’s commitments under the International Labour Organisation, which are workers’ rights to be protected at the workplace and to adopt adequate work practices and environment control measures, which do not put workers’ lives under a safety and health crisis. 

Yet, for many interns, unpaid work becomes the only entry point into journalism, with no clear path forward.

Caswell Tlali, another Editor at The Post, admitted “We are not medical doctors. We are a profit-making company. But it is an eye-opener that serious mental health issues exist.”

Many journalists interviewed revealed they did not report their mistreatment because there were no institutions to turn to. 

“Who do you complain to when your manager is the problem?” asked one journalist who worked with Newsday, The Mail and 357 FM. 

She never received payment during her three years in the industry.

“I was told the company was still growing and needed us to bring advertisers,” she explained. “Favouritism thrived. There were no contracts, and I have no motivation to return to work,” said an anonymous person from The Post.

Anonymous from Newsday described management as unqualified and driven by personal agendas, saying many of them cannot even define journalism ethics and it is frustrating to be led by people who never studied journalism.

Tlotliso Mokone, a psychologist with Q&G Psychological Support, showed that she had treated journalists experiencing burnout and trauma though confidentiality prevents her from naming individuals.

“Journalists face PTSD, burnout, anxiety, depression and substance abuse. They are high-risk due to constant exposure to trauma and tight deadlines,” she said.

Mental health care in Lesotho is limited. According to the World Health Organisation, the country has only 0.06 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

“There’s also stigma, lack of awareness, and very few youth-friendly services,” Mokone added.

She noted that when media institutions ignore journalists’ trauma, consequences include increased turnover, poor job performance, and damage to personal relationships. “Most media houses do not fund mental health care. That exacerbates everything.”

According to Advocate Matalenta Pheko, Lesotho lacks a comprehensive legal framework protecting journalists or whistle-blowers. 

“There is no shield law. No explicit protections. The Constitution provides general freedom of expression, but no specific statutes support press workers.”

She added that defamation lawsuits are often used to silence critical journalism, leading to self-censorship. Also, the law should distinguish between malicious falsehoods and factual reporting.”

Advocate Jobo Lephuthing concurred. 

“Journalists have failed to push for laws protecting themselves. In some cases, journalists are co-opted by political factions and compromise ethics.”

The result is not just fear, but paralysis. Important stories go unwritten. Investigations are not pursued. The press, instead of acting as a watchdog to hold those in power accountable, is being silenced and made to obey them.

The investigating journalist attempted to secure interviews with several key stakeholders regarding the issue. The Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology received the interview questions but did not respond. Follow-up calls were made, but he did not answer.

Again, one of Lesotho Times’ management informed the investigator off record that they would not be responding to the interview request. Mxxl Radio management also received the interview questions but did not provide any response, despite follow-up efforts made before the publication of the article. While the Editor of Informative showed that she would not respond after learning of the investigation.

However, Maqalika Matsepe from the Ministry of Labour stated that the Labour Act protects all workers, including journalists, although it does not mention them specifically.

Kananelo Boloetse, Chairperson of the Journalists Association of Lesotho, admitted that there is currently no active association for journalist welfare. He also represents MISA Lesotho, which advocates for media rights but does not function as a union.

He emphasises the need for a journalist union and an independent media council.  Stressing that they advocate for press freedom, but they need structural change. Without enforceable labour standards, they are fighting with one hand tied.

The result is not just fear, but paralysis. Important stories go unwritten. Investigations are not pursued. The press, instead of acting as a watchdog to hold those in power accountable, is being silenced and made to obey them.

This investigation reveals a systemic crisis that Lesotho’s journalists are suffering emotionally, financially and professionally in silence. Without contracts, legal protections, mental health support or institutional allies, they are forced to choose between exploitation and exit.

The silence from the Ministry of Communications and major media houses speaks volumes. Meanwhile, journalists continue to work under informal arrangements, sometimes without pay, often without recognition and frequently at the expense of their mental health.

Media reform is no longer a distant goal, it is a pressing necessity. Journalists are calling for reforms that include: enforceable labour contracts for all media workers, a journalist union to advocate for fair pay and working conditions, mental health support embedded in newsrooms, legal reforms to protect journalists from intimidation and defamation and clear government support for media independence and sustainability.

“I still believe in journalism. I believe in the power of stories. But we deserve better. Until real change comes, more journalists will suffer or leave,” said Nyakane.

Journalists are tasked with holding power to account. But who holds media institutions accountable when they mistreat their own?

This investigation found out that many journalists earn between nothing to minimum of M500 a month and this alone shows how the system is failing them. It is the broken structures, weak legal frameworks  that leave the media fraternity exposed, undervalued and easy to exploit.  The problem is not the journalists, but it is the broken system that continues to fail the very people who keep the public informed