Good News from Afar

By Obed Letsela , co-pastor of the Maseru churh in Lesotho.

March 16 2004 was a joyous day; an occasion that marked an important milestone in the inmplementation of the bi-national Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). This project began with the October 1986 Treaty between Lesotho - the kingdom in the sky -and South Africa. This day marked the completion of Phase 1,which signalled increased delivery of the cool, thirst quenching water from the mountain streams of Lesotho to the South African province of Gauteng. With the addition of Phase 1B (from the Mohale Dam) water deliveries amounted to a total flow of nearly 29 000 liters every second. It was indeed good news for the Gauteng residents in a  "distant country," and good news for Lesotho as well. It was a joyous occasion marked by songs and performances by local communities and school children, who came from as far afield as Bloemfontein in South Africa. The King and Queen of Lesotho as well as President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa officiated at the ceremony in the Maluti Mountains, which was attended by local and overseas guests.

The LHWP ranks high among projects currently being built worldwide. In November 2003 the Project received an award for an engineering project of the century from the South African Institute of Civil Engineers

The LHWP harnesses fresh clean waters from the headwaters of the Senqu/Orange River in the northern and central Maluti Mountains of Lesotho, for transfer to the thirsty industrial heartland of South Africa. Phase 1 involved construction of two dams - the Katse and Mohale, both over 2 000 metres above sea level, and the highest dams in Africa. The difference in altitude between these highland reservoirs and the Vaal River system enables gravitational flow of water, and in the process, provides Lesotho with an opportunity for hydro electric power generation, which has become part of the LHWP Treaty.

In the words of President Mbeki, “ The project brings improved security of water supply for both economic and domestic use, and will undoubtedly help to meet the increasing water demand for many years to come”. Lesotho also enjoys the benefit of new infrastructure, including roads, expanded communication and electricity systems, health facilities, job opportunities, improved water supply and sanitation to numerous previously isolated and impoverished communities of the highlands. Job creation was another benefit enjoyed by Lesotho residents, with 35 000 jobs created in the past 17 years. Lesotho also enjoys a flow of royalties monthly, which can be used for further development such as tourism, and commercial fisheries for enhanced rural development.

There are spiritual lessons that can be learned from this massive engineering effort:

·        One is impressed by the God-given ingenuity in the human thinking, planning, implementation and management of this huge undertaking, reversing the natural flow of water  through a “U-turn” from a southward flow to the Atlantic Ocean, to a northward flow in the opposite direction for delivery to the Gauteng Province, utilizing a natural gravitational flow with no pumping requirements;

·        It is an example of cooperation between countries that share a common water basin in the development of water resources for mutual benefit - an example of giving and sharing.

·        This should bring an awareness of far reaching responsibilities of governments, and the efforts being undertaken to plan ahead for the socio-economic well being of future generations. We have a responsibility to pray that these efforts are sustained in a responsible way.

·        The stewardship conferred on our first parents to till and take are of the Garden of Eden is an indispensable requirement. It is pleasing to note that the project committed financial resources towards mitigation of its impact on the ecosystem and the communities, thus subscribing to the principle, “serve and conserve” (Gen.2: 15,16).

The completion of Phase 1 of the project is a milestone in fostering unity and peaceful coexistence between Lesotho and its only neighbour. “As inseparable as the rain is from the clouds, the mountains from the streams and rivers from the oceans, so inseparable are our countries and peoples." These were the words of the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry of South Africa.

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:25).