The South African President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Lesotho on Tuesday morning for the sod turning of Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) Phase II of Polihali Dam and tunnel construction.
Upon his arrival, he paid a courtesy call to His Majesty King Letsie III at the Royal Palace, then went to the state house for a courtesy call on Prime Minister, Mr. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane before proceeding to the event which will be later on the day at Malingoaneng in Mokhotlong.
His entourage included the Ministers of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr. Gwede Mantashe, Water and Sanitation, Mr. Senzo Mchunu and Electricity, Mr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as well as Deputy Minister International Relations and Cooperation, Mr. Alvin Botes.
In an interview, Minister Mchunu said the event is crucial and important for both South Africa and Lesotho as it strengthens relations which have existed even before democracy. He said where everything else fails, water can unite nations.
Mr. Mchunu said Phase I which supplies five major provinces thus Gauteng, Free State, Northern Cape, North West and part of Mpumalanga has been successful.
He added they have been struggling to get Phase II off the ground, saying in September 2021, they revived it and that today is for the heads of state to bless this Phase II so that it kicks off and strengthens relations even further.
He noted that Phase II is also going to supply the said provinces, saying there are almost 19 million households benefiting from Phase I to date. He added that after today there is no doubt that Phase II is on track.
Meanwhile, Phase II of the Project builds on the successful completion of Phase I in 2003. It entails the construction of the Polihali Dam, Polihali Transfer Tunnel associated infrastructure and a hydropower scheme at Oxbow in the Botha-Bothe district.
On completion, phase II will increase the current supply rate of 780 million cubic metres per annum incrementally to more than 1,270 million cubic metres per annum.
Phase II involves the construction of a 165m high Polihali concrete-faced rockfill dam, downstream of the confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu rivers. A 50m high saddle dam and a 38km long Polihali Transfer Tunnel will transfer water from the Polihali reservoir to the Katse reservoir.
Source: LENA 23/05/2023
