Members of the media are invited to join Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, together with Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo to the media tour on the maintenance operation of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) tunnel in Clarens, Free State on Friday 15 November 2024. Deputy Minister of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai and Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Saki Mokoena are also expected to be part of the tour as well as Executive Mayors of Thabo Mofutsanyana and Fezile Dabi District Municipalities, and of Dihlabeng, Setsoto, Mafube, Mantsopa and Nketoane Local Municipalities.
A joint maintenance operation is currently underway following the tunnel system closure on October 1, 2024. The operation is jointly undertaken by 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. Following a de-watering process of the tunnel, technical inspections have been conducted and the repair work inside the tunnel has started and will take place until 28 February 2025. The tunnel will remain closed for six months.The details of the media tour are as follows:
- Date: Friday, 15 November 2024
- Time: 9:00
- Venue: Clarens – Free State
