municipalities
debate
infrastructure
‘Watergate’ a concern
for Lesotho Highlands
project
It has also been
alleged that
officials who
opposed the delays
have been fired
from the project.
Water Sewage & Effluent November/December 2016
tech news
Lesotho with a source of income
in exchange for the provision of
water to the Gauteng province,
where the majority of industrial
activity occurs in South Africa.
The project will also generate
hydroelectric power for Lesotho.
However, in recent months,
Mokonyane has been accused
of delaying the project and
awarding contracts to a
company with which she has a
long-standing relationship. It has
also been confirmed that she
had met with outgoing Public
Protector Thuli Madonsela’s
office, and was given a date to
engage with the Public Protector
around the allegations. It is
expected that the investigation
into ‘Watergate’ — as the
scandal has been dubbed — will
be taken up by newly appointed
Public Protector, Advocate
networking
A
t a time when South Africa
is battling with its worse
drought in living memory, the
country’s water and sanitation
minister — tasked with seeing
the country through the crisis
— is coming under increasing
pressure to resign over a highprofile scandal involving a mega
water project.
The second phase of the
Lesotho Highlands Water Project
— a multibillion-rand, binational
water supply and hydroelectric
scheme — has been delayed
for at least a year, due to the
alleged actions of Minister
Nomvula Mokonyane, South
Africa’s minister of water and
sanitation. Mokonyane currently
finds herself at the centre of
an investigation into corruption
involving the R25-billlion project,
which is aimed at providing
industry
The future of the R25-billion binational Lesotho
Highlands Water Project could be under threat
as it is currently embroiled in the ‘Watergate’
scandal. By Martin Czernowalow
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