Legalbrief | your legal news hub Friday 01 October 2021 SA facilitates soft exit for Lesotho’s PM Following South Africa’s speedy intervention, Lesotho’s warring parties yesterday agreed to facilitate embattled Prime Minister Tom Thabane’s exit from office. Former Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said parliament will start the process to ensure Thabane's retirement with ‘grace, dignity, and security’ within three days of its opening. It is unclear exactly when parliament will reopen, but it is expected to be soon. If there are any delays, the 10 applicants engaged in court action to reopen parliament will go back to court. They include the National Executive Committee of the ruling All Basotho Convention, the Democratic Congress, the Basotho National Party, the Popular Front for Democracy and individual MPs. A report on the IoL site notes that there are lingering concerns that despite the breakthrough, Thabane may renege on his promises as he has done in the past. Having lost two critical court cases, the legal avenues for Thabane to stay in power seem to have closed. The report notes that he is likely trying to push for immunity from prosecution for any alleged involvement in the murder of his first wife Lipolelo Thabane once he steps down. BBC News reports that Radebe told journalists that although Thabane had pledged to resign in July, the timeline stipulated in the deal was 'immediate'. 'There are one or two issues that need to be traversed in order to ensure that all political parties are of the same mind in terms of speeding up that parliamentary process,' he added. Thabane’s second wife Maesaiah Thabane has been charged with murder and is out on bail..