The Lesotho Highlands Water Tunnel has finally been reopened after being two months behind schedule.
The maintenance, repair and refurbishment work started in October last year and was initially scheduled to be completed within six months. The tunnel channels water from Lesotho to South Africa delivering about 700 million cubic meters of water each year into the Vaal integrated system, which supplies at least five provinces across the country.
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo says the delays were on the Lesotho side.
You know delays that were of course not anticipated but as a result of some of the engineering issues that were experienced in the Lesotho side. We were done on our side as South Africa but of course these are things that you dont anticipate at construction sites. There needed to be some issues that needed to be resolved. All of those are done now. Today we are going to witness what we have been long waiting for as South Africa and that is to see water coming and flowing into the integrated Vaal River system.