The Civil Engineering Contractor April 2019 | Page 12

INFRA AFRICA
The Katse Dam.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
LESOTHO
LHDA appoints engineering panel of experts for LHWP Phase II
The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA)
has appointed an engineering panel of experts for Phase
II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). The
appointments were finalised in December 2018 and the
panel’s first mission kicked off in January 2019 with a site
visit to the project area in the Mokhotlong district.
The panel members are from as far afield as the UK,
Europe, the US, and Australia; all are highly respected and
have earned international esteem for their specific expertise.
Their combined knowledge covers tunnelling, bridges,
concrete faced rockfill dams (CFRD), hydro-mechanical and
geotechnical engineering, grouting, and construction.
The LHDA’s appointment of an external panel of
experts to provide technical reviews of the major works
of Phase II reflects its commitment to implementing
Phase II to the highest quality and in accordance with
internationally recognised standards to minimise the risk
of engineering errors, says Tente Tente, LHDA Phase II
divisional manager.
The joint mission followed closely on the formal site
handover to the WBHO/LSP Joint Venture for the
civils works at Polihali and Katse village. The scope
of work under this contract includes earthworks and
the creation of platforms for buildings, water and
wastewater systems, landfill, roads, drainage, electrical,
and telecommunications networks.
The LHDA also has an environmental panel of
experts engaged to review social and environmental
activities. This is to ensure that its implementation of
social, environmental, and public health programmes
is in accordance with internationally recognised
standards. Phase II will increase the current supply
rate of 780-million m 3 /year incrementally to more
than 1 270-million m 3 /year. At the same time, it
will increase the quantity of electricity generated in
Lesotho and is a further step in the process of securing
an independent electricity source to meet Lesotho’s
domestic requirements. nn
NORTH AFRICA
EGYPT
China lends Egypt USD1.2bn for railway to new capital
China has signed a deal to lend Egypt USD1.2-billion for
the construction of a 68km electric railway, running from
the outskirts of Cairo to the planned new administrative
capital in the desert to the east of the capital. The new
railway will link the 10th of Ramadan City outside Cairo
to the new capital, taking in El Salam and other new cities.
The loan from China Exim Bank, signed on 16 January,
comprises USD739-million at an interest rate of 1.8%
10 | CEC April 2019
for infrastructure, and USD461-million with a 2%
interest rate for the trains, reported Daily News Egypt.
The loan is to be repaid over 15 years, with a five-year
grace period. An initial agreement for the loan was
signed in September 2018 during the visit of President
Abdel Fatah El-Sisi to China. Officials said there would
be 11 stations, and that the speed of the trains would
reach 120km/h. nn
www.civilsonline.co.za