LHDA AWARDS LHWP PHASE II PROJECT HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS CONTRACT
Maseru, 13 September 2015 – The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has awarded the professional services contract for the planning, design and construction supervision of the housing and associated infrastructure for Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) to Polihali Infrastructure Consultants (Pty) Ltd, a joint venture between MottMacDonald PDNA (Pty) Ltd and Khatleli Tomane Moteane (Pty) Ltd. Work on this R74.3 million contract commenced in early September and should be completed in the latter part of 2021. This contract forms part of the advance infrastructure works that must be completed to facilitate the construction of the main works namely the Polihali dam and transfer tunnel and the hydropower station.
This contract includes the preparation of preliminary and detailed architectural and engineering designs of both the temporary and permanent project housing and related infrastructure, preliminary and detailed design of utilities; preparation of tenders and contract documents; the procurement of construction contracts; the
supervision of the construction programme and environmental monitoring during construction.
The project housing works comprise accommodation facilities for the staff and labour force, site offices, workshops, plant yards and other work areas.
Speaking at the time of the award announcement, Mrs Refiloe Tlali, CE of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), added: “This is the biggest contract of the Phase II contracts concluded so far this year. The quality of its deliverables and the importance of its timeous completion cannot be over emphasized, given Phase II’s timelines and the contribution the project implementation is expected to make to the local economy. The LHDA is confident that the Polihali Infrastructure Consultants Joint Venture, comprising Mott MacDonald PDNA (Pty) Ltd and Khatleli Tomane Moteane (Pty) Ltd, has the capacity to deliver the brief.”
Dempsey Naidoo, Mott MacDonald’s Africa managing director, commented: “The next phase of what’s already proved one of the world’s most successful cross-border water collaboration projects will bring benefits beyond increased water and electricity supply and we are delighted at this opportunity to contribute further to the region’s
economic and social development. Drawing on our planning, design and construction management experience across Africa and around the world, we are greatly looking forward to working with our Lesotho architect partner KTMA to help deliver a wide range of enabling infrastructure, from access roads and contractors’ working facilities to housing, community buildings and tourism amenities.”
Some of the structures built as part of this contract are intended for long-term use. These include staff accommodation in the Polihali reservoir area which will be built as a village with all appropriate associated facilities; a visitors’ lodge at the staff village which will become a tourist facility and the employer’s and engineer’s offices at the dam site which will become the operations staff offices and a visitors centre on completion of the scheme.
The facilities developed around the Katse Dam, the ‘Muela hydropower station and the Mohale Dam under similar contracts for Phase I of the LHWP are still being used today and have contributed to the growth of the country’s tourism industry and to local communities. Some of the housing has been converted into guesthouses, or into housing for the LHDA staff and the staff of other organisations based at the Project sites. Theschool buildings at Katse and Mohale, which during Phase I of the project housed workers, were handed over to the government of Lesotho and today house the Katse High School and the Mohale High School which serve the communities in these areas.
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About
The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is four-phased, multi-billion Maloti/Rand bi-national Project between the Governments of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa.
It comprises water transfer and hydropower generation components and ancillary developments. The water transfer component entails the construction of dams and tunnels in Lesotho for the purpose of enhancing the use of water from the Senqu (Orange) River and its tributaries by storing, regulating, diverting and controlling the flow to effect the delivery of specified quantities of water to South Africa, and by utilizing the delivery system to generate hydro-electric power in Lesotho.
The major works of Phase I included the construction of the Katse Dam, the water transfer and delivery tunnels, ‘Muela Dam and ‘Muela Hydropower Plant and the
Mohale Dam. The Phase II water transfer component comprises a dam at Polihali and a gravity tunnel that will connect the reservoir at Polihali with the Katse Reservoir. The envisaged hydropower component will comprise the Kobong Pumped Storage Scheme, or a similar scheme. The implementation of the Kobong scheme is subject to agreement on the outcome of a joint final feasibility study.
The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) is the implementing and management authority for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. It acts on behalf of the government of Lesotho.
For additional information, please visit or contact Mrs Mabasia Ntoi on +266 2224 6000 or +266 6321 5924.