the lesotho project

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‘White gold’ (water) flows from the mountains of Lesotho down to South Africa as part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), providing much needed income for the Lesotho economy.

Yet this stream of prosperity has not reached many thousands of people adversely affected by the first two phases of the LHWP. The huge project, involving the construction of two major dams, transfer tunnels and a wide network of roads, has resulted in the displacement or destruction of hundreds of communities. Cases documented by the Lesotho Ombudsman demonstrate that many remain homeless, isolated, hungry, and with no means of livelihood. Their environment has been polluted, cultural and social networks have been destroyed, and life expectancy has dropped. During the first two stages of the project, HIV/Aids was introduced by construction workers in the highland communities, and now nearly 1 in 3 adults is affected.

Thousands have yet to receive any, or any adequate, compensation which they were promised over ten years ago, and to which they are entitled under laws passed by the Lesotho Parliament. The law states, both internationally and domestically, that a project-affected person is entitled to the same or an improved quality of life as a consequence of the development. This law goes unobserved in many parts of the LHWP.