Pretoria: Water and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina has reassured residents in the municipalities affected by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel maintenance of continued access to water. The maintenance of the LHWP tunnel entails a total shutdown that began on 01 October 2024. The maintenance project includes general inspection and repair works, in order to ensure the integrity and reliability of the entire water tunnel system.

According to South African Government News Agency, the operation is jointly undertaken by the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) which focuses on Delivery Tunnel North within South Africa, and the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA) which undertakes maintenance on the transfer tunnels at the Muela Hydro power station in Lesotho. Reflecting on the Ministry’s performance in its first 100 days at a media briefing held in Pretoria on Tuesday, Majodina said the project will ensure that the tunnel continues to operate effectively in the long-term, supplying wat
er to parts of the Free State and Gauteng.

Majodina said engagements with the two provincial governments and affected municipalities of Nketoane, Mfube, and Dihlabeng was done in this regard. Specific work has already taken place, which includes the upgrading of water treatment works, upgrading of raw water pumps, construction of new water reservoirs, and the drilling and equipping of boreholes. The department has established the War Room to oversee the implementation of the shutdown and communication as a tool to raise awareness and to educate the public about water security issues.

Majodina, together with Deputy Ministers, David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo, will inspect the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel in Clarens, Free State on 15 November 2024. During her first 100 days in office, Majodina reported that the department and its entity, the TCTA, continued with the implementation of 14 major national water infrastructure projects aimed at raw water security.

These projects, estimated at approxima
tely R100 billion, include the R42 billion second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to supply additional water to Gauteng, the R28 billion construction of a new dam and transfer tunnel on the uMkhomazi River in KwaZulu Natal to supply additional water to eThekwini and surrounding municipalities. Other projects include a R6.5 billion raising of the wall of the Clanwilliam Dam in the Western Cape, and the R750 million raising of the wall of the Tzaneen Dam in Limpopo.

Majodina also reported on the department’s current undertaking of water sector reforms, which are aligned to the Operation Vulindlela Programme, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Operation Vulindlela aims to modernise and transform network industries. With regard to the water sector, the programme’s focus includes the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Act signed into law by President Ramaphosa.

The act provides for the establishment of the NWRIA through the amalgamation of the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority, the Wa
ter Trading Entity and the infrastructure branch of the department. The functions of the NWRIA will include the financing, development, operations, and maintenance of the national water resource infrastructure and the treaty and non-treaty functions performed by the TCTA. Processes are now underway to manage the establishment of the agency. The programme also focuses on the establishment of the remaining Catchment Management Agencies as required by the National Water Act, to enable improved catchment management with local stakeholder involvement; improving turnaround times for the issuing of water use licenses and reform of municipal water and sanitation services.