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President Thabo Mbeki to Attend Inauguration
of Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Mohale, Lesotho
Tuesday, 16 March 2004
President and Mrs Thabo Mbeki, will tomorrow, Tuesday,
16 March 2004, together with King Letsie III of Lesotho
will inaugurate Phase IB of the multi-phased Lesotho
Highlands Water Project (LHWP), the largest water transfer
project in the history of the African continent in Mohale,
Lesotho.
President Mbeki will be accompanied by the Minister
of Water Affairs and Forestry, Ronnie Kasrils.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), a four-phased
water transfer project, the largest ongoing, bi-national
construction project in Africa, was conceptualised and
implemented to address the needs of South Africa's rapidly
expanding Gauteng province. Over 40% of the country's
population live in the area, and almost 60% of all industrial
and 80% of all mining output is generated in Gauteng.
These residents and activities require more water than
the single source, the Vaal River, can provide. The
Project is the most important means of supplementing
this need.
The Lesotho Highlands, with its high rainfall and surface
area of high basalt mountains - the Maloti - is a superb
catchment area. The LHWP captures most of the excess
water from rainstorms in the Orange/Senqu River catchment
and transfers it to the Vaal River system, while ensuring
sustainability of all life forms dependent on the flows
downstream of the storage dams.
The LHWP Phase 1 solves Gauteng's water problem for
the immediate future, rejuvenates the Vaal River, and
provides Lesotho with valuable income, job opportunities,
electricity and infrastructure on which tourism and
industrial development can thrive. The Project not only
sustains the development of both countries in significant
ways, but provides a showpiece for the region and the
rest of the continent of mutually beneficial co-operation.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
15 March 2004
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