Senzo Mchunu upbeat about 'progress' on Lesotho Highlands Water Project

Water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu met Lesotho's minister of natural resources Mohlomi Moleko in Maseru on Friday to discuss the implementation of phase two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

The binational infrastructure project between the countries involves the construction of tunnels and dams to transfer water from the Orange—Senqu River in the highlands to South Africa and to use water delivery system to hydro-electrically power Lesotho, said Mchunu's spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.

“The completion of phase two, anticipated to be in 2028, will augment the transfer of water from Lesotho to South Africa with an extra 490-million m3 a year from the current 780-million m3 to make it 1,260-million m3 through the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS). The IVRS is the biggest system in the country. It comprises 14 dams with catchments in the Free State, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West,” Mavasa said.

Mchunu said though the project encountered some challenges, leading to its 2020 deadline being missed, “considerable progress has been made”.

“We can only look forward to this project growing, but more importantly, we would like to strengthen our relations. Everyone involved in this enormous project will have a good story to tell when they get to heaven,” Mchunu quipped.

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