Development agency the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has awarded a M131-million construction contract for upgrades to the Katse Village and increased capacity at Katse Lodge.

The Katse Village upgrades contract is the first of four housing construction contracts to be awarded as part of the broader Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase 2.

Lesotho-based Unik Construction Engineering was awarded the tender. Construction started in early November and is expected to be completed in April 2023.

The Katse Village upgrades contract includes the construction of an additional accommodation block for the lodge, conference rooms, a fitness centre, a caravan park and upgrades to the backpackers’ facility.

“Single-quarters accommodation and parking areas will also be constructed at the Katse Village under this contract to accommodate the Polihali Transfer Tunnel construction staff and the LHDA operations and maintenance staff during and post construction,” the LHDA says.

The dam and the nearby botanical gardens have been major tourist attractions since the early 2000s. The LHWP Phase 2 infrastructure is expected to attract more tourists to the area.

“The extensions and upgrades will improve the experience of tourists who visit Katse and will ensure accommodation for the increasing number of visitors expected to be drawn to the Polihali dam developments and for the increasing numbers of people actively involved in Phase 2 construction,” says LHDA Phase 2 divisional manager Ntsoli Maiketso.

The civil works contract has been completed, which saw the construction of platforms and bulk utilities at the proposed Polihali Village site and the temporary camps, as well as utilities, upgrades at Katse Village.

Meanwhile, the remaining three housing construction contracts are the construction of the Polihali Village, Polihali Commercial Centre and the Polihali Operations Centre.

“Procurement processes for the above are at an advanced stage. These are expected to facilitate local participation, especially by small and medium-sized contractors in keeping with the terms of Article 10 of the Phase 2 agreement,” the LHDA says.

Polihali Infrastructure Consultants, comprising South Africa-based Mott MacDonald and Lesotho-based Khatleli Tomane Moteane Architects, was awarded the contract for the planning, design and construction supervision of the project housing and associated infrastructure in 2015.

“Phase 2 of the LHWP builds on the successful completion of Phase 1 in 2003. LHWP delivers water to the Gauteng region of South Africa and uses the water delivery system to generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho.”

The Katse dam has a wall height of 185 m and is Africa’s second largest double-curvature concrete arch dam and the centre piece of the LHWP.

“Phase 2 will increase the current water supply rate of 780-million cubic metres a year incrementally to about 1.27-billion cubic metres a year. The increased water flow will simultaneously increase the energy generated by the Muela hydropower plant, a further step in the process of securing an independent power supply to meet Lesotho’s domestic needs.”

The hydropower further feasibility studies have confirmed that conventional hydropower is the preferred option for Phase 2. Three potential sites were identified, including two on the Senqu river and a third site at Oxbow on the Malibamats’o river, the LHDA says.