Presidential visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho for the sod turning for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) second phase
The President of South Africa HE Mr Jacob Zuma will lead a government delegation to the Kingdom of Lesotho on 27 March 2014. The purpose of this visit is for President Zuma and the Prime Minister of Lesotho HE Mr Tom Thabane to do a sod turning for Phase II of the LHWP.
The rational for the creation of the LHWP is to augment the critical Vaal River system and further to use the Senqu/Orange River water through storing, regulating, diverting and controlling the flow of the river system. This in effect will deliver specific quantities of this water to South Africa as well as to generate hydro-electric power in and for Lesotho.
Over time this project has proven to be a good inter-governmental project. In this regard, South Africa is responsible for all costs related to the transfer of water while the Government of Lesotho has invested in the Muela Hydropower Station (MHP) and uses the flow of water to South Africa to generate electricity. In this way both countries benefit.
The first phase of the project was completed in 2004. This comprised of the Katse and Mohale reservoirs, the Muela Hydropower station, and 124km of tunnels and associated infrastructure. By 2010, more than 8.36 billion m3 of water was transferred to South Africa and Lesotho received R3 091 million in royalties and R638 million from the sale of electricity generated at the Muela Hydropower Station.
As expected and indicating the correctness of the project, a number of South African entities, these including six provinces, Sasol, Eskom, and the mining sector, have all benefitted from improved water security provided by this project. As it stands 40% of the water in the Vaal is from the LHWP.
Under drought conditions, emergency water releases from the LHWP are made for Maseru and its surrounding areas to counter the no-flow conditions in the Caledon River. A joint feasibility study on Phase II of the LHWP was concluded in 2008.
The LHWP Phase II embodies the SADC protocol to foster closer cooperation for judicious, sustainable and coordinated management, protection and utilisation of shared watercourses. This is also meant to advance the SADC agenda of regional integration, cooperation as well as poverty alleviation.
Negotiations on Phase II culminated in the signing of the Agreement on 11 August 2011 by the Honourable Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs South Africa, Mrs BEE Molewa and the then Minister of Natural Resources Mr M Moleleki from Lesotho.
The government of South Africa finalised the ratification of the Agreement in November 2012. The new coalition government of the Kingdom of Lesotho finalised the ratification in May 2013. The Agreement therefore has entered into force.
The sod turning will take place in Mokhotlong at the site of the Polihali dam.
This Phase II will consist of the following components:
- Polihali Dam located in Mokhotlong district;
- Tunnel from Polihali Dam to Katse Dam
- Hydropower features
- Advance infrastructure
It is also envisaged that during the Presidential visit, time be set aside for the official hand over of the completed facilities of the Metolong Dam and Water Supply Programme funded by the Republic of South Africa under the Renaissance Fund as part of the Joint Bilateral Coordination Committee between Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa.
There will be also an active media interaction with the principals and officials as well as visits to the different sites comprising this very essential project for the region. There will also be active media interaction with the principals and officials as well as visits to the different sites comprising this very essential project for the region.
Media are therefore hereby informed of the visit and invited to be part of the visit.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
E-mail: rataus@dwa.gov.za
Hlomani Baloyi
Cell: 083 276 1295
E-mail: hlomani@po.gov.za
