Maseru: Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has reaffirmed government's commitment to long-term water security and infrastructure delivery, following an oversight visit to the Polihali Dam construction site and the Polihali Transfer Tunnel, where she toured the tunnel works following the launch of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

According to South African Government News Agency, the visit formed part of activities linked to Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, a strategic bi-national initiative between South Africa and Lesotho aimed at augmenting water supply to the Gauteng region, while supporting hydropower generation in Lesotho.

Following the official TBM launch on Monday, Majodina conducted a site inspection at the Polihali Dam construction site, where she assessed construction progress and later descended into the tunnel, offering a rare, close-up view of the large-scale engineering work underway deep beneath the Maluti mountains.

Speaking to SAnews during the oversight visit, Majodina detailed the extent of work already completed and the progress made since her last visit in December 2025. She explained that her visit began with an inspection of supporting infrastructure, including the visitor centre and water systems that channel flow toward the reservoir and tunnel. The Minister said these components are key to ensuring that water can be efficiently directed into the transfer system.

'I started at the visitors' centre, where we developed some chalets for people who come to explore the mountains. Those chalets are done and dusted. When you are in those chalets, you are able to see where water comes from as it goes down to the wall of the Katse River. We've also launched the Polihali Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). with a very big milestone, which is 38.5 kilometers,' the Minister told SAnews.

She highlighted that the TBM is central to linking the Polihali and Katse Dam reservoirs, enabling the transfer of water through a gravity-fed system. 'When we were here in December, the machine on the side of Polihali was still going to be assembled, but the other side was done already. So you can't transfer water through the tunnel if the two have not been joined together.

'That is why I was saying this is an umbilical cord, which joins two countries, two nations. What is more important is we are increasing the capacity and the volume of water that goes to South Africa,' she told SAnews.

The Minister also addressed concerns about water supply challenges in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng. She emphasised that the water that government is trying to secure is in acknowledgement of the rapid expansion taking place in the province. '...There's economic growth, there's population growth. You need more water. But the fundamental question in South Africa, across 257 municipalities and eight metros is the lack of maintenance and operation of water infrastructure.

'That is why, every day, you'll find water running down the street, instead of going to the tap. We don't have a water crisis in terms of water resources. The water that we're getting at the moment from Katse Dam is enough for us as South Africans, but we felt that we must make sure that we have water for the coming generations,' Majodina said.

The Minister said the project goes beyond water delivery, pointing to wider development, including bridges, roads, schools, clinics, and housing relocation programmes aimed at improving livelihoods in surrounding communities. 'That is why we'll be here with the President and His Majesty the Prime Minister on Wednesday to hand over the Senqu Bridge - the most state-of-the-art bridge in the entire continent. There are human settlement relocation projects, some of which are [complete]. There's lot of development that is happening here,' the Minister said.

Majodina further clarified the financial arrangements underpinning the project and community benefits. She explained that South Africa pays royalties to the Lesotho government under a formal agreement, with funds distributed through the National Fiscus, which get distributed accordingly. She noted that only a small number of compensation cases remain outstanding and are being verified.

On progress, the Minister indicated that construction has advanced steadily, despite earlier delays. 'When I was here on 15 December 2025, they were standing at 53%. They are now standing at 58%. It therefore means there's lot of work that has been done. Excavation takes long. Inclement weather also plays to the fore, but there's lot of commitment. They work in shifts, and we are happy with what we are seeing,' the Minister said.

She reaffirmed that both governments remain committed to completing the project on time and within budget. 'There's catch-up time to ensure that we complete the project on time and on budget. We go out to financial markets to get these funds through the TCTA [Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority]... We have to complete this Phase II,' the Minister said.

Beyond water supply, the project is also expected to support agriculture and regional resilience. 'There is water that we will reserve through Mohokare River. When there is a drought in the Free State [or] the Eastern Cape, we [will] release that water for irrigation and for farmers. So, it's not all water that is going to Gauteng, but that water will also assist with irrigation,' the Minister explained.

She emphasised that the project continues to benefit communities in Lesotho through employment, skills transfer, and infrastructure development. 'The lives of Basotho people have changed. They might not have changed completely, but we have done our best in ensuring that as we implement this project, there is skills transfer and there are those who are mentored by the contractor, so that when we are no longer here on this project, they can maintain this project, because anything that is not maintained is going to collapse,' Majodina said.

The Polihali Transfer Tunnel, a key component of Phase II, will ultimately increase water transfer to South Africa, while strengthening hydropower capacity in Lesotho, reinforcing one of the continent's most significant examples of cross-border infrastructure cooperation.