2 April 2025 by Monyane Khau

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A March 31, 2025 deadline set for completing maintenance work under the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) has been missed due to the need for additional repairs. 

The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) Publications Editor, Malakeng Hloma, said that the new completion date is expected “in a few weeks.”

“The project timeline has remained largely on track; however, due to necessary additional works at specific locations, final completion has been slightly extended beyond the initial schedule,” Hloma said.  

He said these repairs include dehumidifying the tunnel, as excessive humidity negatively impacts the quality of erosion protection within the tunnel.

“As of 11 March 2025, significant progress has been made, with 88 percent of the total cleaning and sandblasting work completed and 74 percent of the affected sections already recoated with corrosion protection,” Hloma said. 

He indicated that the final phase of works includes completing the ‘Muela Ridge and Bypass Tunnel area, as well as the Hlotse Adit site, which is expected to take approximately a week and a half from 31 March 2025.  

Once all maintenance work is concluded, the system will undergo a controlled refilling process, which will take at least two weeks before water deliveries to South Africa resume and electricity generation in Lesotho is reinstated.

What is LHWP?

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) is a multi-billion Maluti water project between Lesotho and South Africa. Under the 1986 Treaty between Lesotho and South Africa, the project facilitates the transfer of water to South Africa.

Additionally, the project plays a significant role in Lesotho’s fiscal health, contributing to both water royalties and clean energy generation. In the fiscal year 2024/25, these royalties proved crucial to the nation’s economy. Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr. Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, said the project contributed M2,976.3 million to the country’s fiscal resources. 

“Tax revenue performance has been notable, contributing 24.1 percent of GDP, driven by income taxes at 11.4 percent of GDP and taxes on goods and services at 12.7 percent of GDP. A particularly striking aspect of our revenue structure has been the robust performance of non-tax revenue, especially water royalties from LHDA,” Dr Matlanyane said during her February 2025 budget speech presentation in parliament. 

However, despite the project’s significant fiscal contribution, it has come at a huge cost to communities in the surrounding areas. Under Phase 1, communities living near Lesotho’s two largest dams face daily struggles to access safe water. The “white gold” they see, yet cannot reach, is destined for neighbouring South Africa, leaving locals without access to this vital resource.

Dr Matlanyane said the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will begin implementing water supply projects in the Katse area, benefiting villages with a total population of 3,278. She said these villages include Khokhoba, Katse, Bokong, Makhoabeng, and others. 

Calls for treaty review

The Lesotho government has responded to widespread calls for the review of the water treaty between South Africa and Lesotho. This call has been amplified by a court case launched by the rights group Equal Rights and Justice, in collaboration with lawyer Lemohang Nsuzi. 

They seek to have the Lesotho High Court compel the governments of Lesotho, South Africa, and the United Nations to facilitate a review of the treaty and its annexures. The group argues that the treaty should be revised to ensure both nations adhere to the principles of equitable and reasonable utilisation, as well as sustainable development, particularly regarding the LHWP river system.

Barely a month after the court case, Dr. Matlanyane announced the government’s intention to review the treaty.

“The Government will also undertake the overdue review of the Lesotho Highlands Water Treaty, with the goal of negotiating a better deal for Lesotho in terms of the project’s sustainability and its positive impact on the livelihoods of Basotho. 

“This proposed review is awaiting a response from the Republic of South Africa, which will inform budget estimates,” she said.