In Lesotho, water is often called “white gold” because of its vital role in the country’s economy. The Katse Dam, an impressive feat of engineering, is at the heart of this story. Standing 185 meters tall, it is Africa’s second-largest curved dam and a crucial part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, a deal struck between Lesotho and South Africa in the 1980s.
Lesotho, a small country entirely surrounded by South Africa, has an abundance of water thanks to its high altitude and frequent rainfall. This water is channeled from the Katse Dam through a series of tunnels that eventually lead to South Africa’s Vaal River system. It’s the biggest water transfer scheme in Africa, and it’s crucial for South Africa, particularly the economic hub of Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg.
The Lesotho government receives $200 million annually from South Africa for this water, which is more than double what it used to get before a recent renegotiation. Yet, despite this influx of money, many people in Lesotho, especially in villages like Ha Ramokoatsi, remain desperately poor.
Ha Ramokoatsi is just a kilometer away from the Katse Dam, but its 200 residents still have to rely on a small, natural spring hidden in a cave for their water. This spring often runs dry, and when it does have water, it’s sometimes contaminated. Villagers, including 50-year-old Manteboheleng Mosiyoa, have no choice but to use this water, despite the health risks.
Manteboheleng describes how the community regularly falls ill from drinking the water, showing a rash on her wrist as evidence of the contaminated water’s effects. “We regularly get sick, even small children,” she says. “Sometimes when you come to the water you see little worms, but we still drink the water, because there is no way we can survive without it.”
Despite promises from politicians to bring running water to the village, nothing has changed. The village chief, Hlojeng Khethisa, keeps a notebook filled with minutes from meetings where these promises were made. “My message to this government is that they should come here and see how we live. We can’t have this beautiful dam built around our village and yet we’re still living in poverty,” he says.
While tours of the Katse Dam proudly highlight how Lesotho generates half its electricity from hydropower and how new roads have been built with money earned from the dam, the reality for many locals is starkly different. Although the dam has brought some development, it hasn’t benefited everyone. Villages like Ha Ramokoatsi continue to struggle with basic necessities like clean water.
Lesotho’s Natural Resources Minister, Mohlomi Moleko, acknowledges that the project has not always served the best interests of the local communities. He promises that the government’s focus will shift towards providing water for the Basotho people by 2030, alongside continuing water transfers to South Africa.
But this promise offers little comfort to those like Manteboheleng, who can see the dam from their homes but still lack clean drinking water. “This dam hasn’t done anything for us,” she says. “We know nothing of the money Lesotho gets. Nothing has been done for us. We’re really struggling.”
As the population in South Africa’s Gauteng province grows and its infrastructure continues to crumble, the demand for Lesotho’s water is expected to increase. Johannesburg, the largest city in the world not built on a natural water source, relies heavily on water from Lesotho. With climate change making water supplies less predictable, the need for reliable sources like the Katse Dam will only grow.
A new deal has even been signed to send Lesotho’s water over 700 kilometers to Botswana, further highlighting the regional importance of this resource. Yet, as the demand for Lesotho’s “white gold” continues to rise, the challenge remains: ensuring that the people living closest to this resource also benefit from it.
For now, the residents of Ha Ramokoatsi and other villages like it are left wondering when, if ever, they will see the benefits of the wealth that flows from their own backyard.
Source: Ghana Web
