Before the LEC came into existence, the service of providing electricity was under direct control of the Government of Lesotho. A very small coal-fire generating plant was used to supply a handful of domestic consumers in the Maseru West and Old Europa areas, where the foreigners resided. This same plant also supplied the Maseru Administrative center with power. In 1965 the responsibility shifted to the Public Works government department. In 1966 the idea of establishing a parastatal, which would execute the provision of electricity throughout the country more efficiently, was vigorously debated. Mr. G. K. Herrmann, a German now living in Spain, will always be remembered for his tireless efforts in convincing the government authorities about the need to establish a parastatal,today widely known as the LEC. It was no surprise that he inevitably became the first Managing Director of the Lesotho Electricity Company from 1969 to 1971,when he left the country