New Programme Management Unit takes helm to steer Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II to completion
18 December 2023
The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has officially appointed the Pula Nala Joint Venture as the Program Management Unit (PMU) entrusted with overseeing the final phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase II construction.
The transition from the outgoing PMU, CDM Smith, to the Pula Nala Joint Venture spanned several months, culminating in the official takeover on 01 June 2023.
Comprising a collaborative effort between South African, Basotho, and international companies, the Pula Nala Joint Venture aligns with the principles outlined in the Phase II Agreement. The primary joint venture partners include Mariswe (Pty) Ltd from South Africa, JB Barry and Partners Ltd from Ireland, and Royal HaskoningDHV from South Africa. The team is further supported by sub-consultants, namely ARQ Dams (Pty) Ltd, Mafube Consulting (Pty) Ltd, NHA Group, and ABK Consulting Engineering, as well as CAPIC.
“The PMU is a specialist unit within the LHDA. It is a multidisciplinary JV with extensive expertise in the management of large water transfer and hydropower schemes appointed to oversee Phase II through to completion,” confirmed Mr Nt’soli Maiketso the, Divisional Manager on Phase II. “Many of the key engineering, environmental and social, and project management discipline leads within the PMU have been retained to ensure seamless transition under the new structure. We are confident that the Project will continue to progress steadily as we move into the final construction phase.”
The selection of the Pula Nala Joint Venture followed a rigorous open tender process, and the contract is set for a duration of seven years. Its tenure is designed to persist until the entire construction phase is successfully concluded, and key project components such as the Polihali Dam, the Polihali Transfer Tunnel, and the Oxbow Hydropower Scheme are commissioned, marking the completion of the project and the formal handover to the LHDA.
