THE Lesotho government has sold its 12% stake in Vodacom Lesotho Ltd to a private business group, the mobile phone operator’s South African parent Vodacom said. The grouping of local business people called Sekha-Metsi Consortium Ltd signed the deal this week with Lesotho’s privatisation unit, Vodacom said, but declined to give financial details. Vodacom Lesotho is 88% owned by Vodacom, South Africa’s largest cellular phone network operator. There are nearly 19000 cellular phone users in Lesotho compared to 21000 fixed-line subscribers. – Reuters