Preparing the Way

Following the 1986 signing of the Treaty, the Project faced a major hurdle because the necessary infrastructure and facilities in the Lesotho Highlands were lacking.

The first challenge was to create the means to transport millions of tons of materials and equipment to the various construction sites. In addition, the foreign engineers, technicians and scientists, as well as the thousands of workers coming to the sites needed places to stay, health services, comrnunications and electricity. The access across the Lesotho-South African border also needed to be improved. So began a major socio-economic revolution in the history of Lesotho.

• The Southern Access Road from Thaba Tseka to the Katse Dam was upgraded.
• A major bridge across the Malibamatso River, downstream of Katse Dam was built. It was officially opened in December 1988.
• Between 1988 and 1994 the Northern Access Road, which included a large bridge in the Pelaneng area, was constructed, much of it from scratch. It started from Pitseng to Pelaneng and then up through the steep Matsoku Valley to the Katse site.
•  Advanced camp facilities were built near Katse Dam ( completed in 1991 ), Butha Buthe, Fouriesburg and Clarens (Phase lA), and later near the Mohale Dam (Phase IB).
• The railsidings at Fouriesburg and Ficksburg were replaced.
• The road from the Fouriesburg station to the Caledonspoort border post was upgraded.
• A new road that bypasses Ficksburg was constructed to link the station and border post.
• The bridges at both the above border posts were upgraded.
• The border post facilities at both points were relocated and extended (1991).
•  A number of existing roads in both countries were upgraded to handle expected LHWP traffic volumes.
• Several clinics were constructed and fully equipped in the Free State and within the project area in Lesotho, while the Leribe Hospital received an ICU-unit. Locals also benefit from these facilities.
• Electric power transmission lines were erected and substations installed.

Meanwhile, the roar of construction machinery was interspersed by the strange mixture of excited French and Italian, precise German, sonorous Sotho and all the 'home' and 'colonial' accents of English. Maseru became the nerve centre for Africa 's largest construction project.