Vaal River System Water Resources Development Project Phase II
The Vaal River System (VRS) is a crucial water source for South Africa, supplying 45% of the population and 60% of the economy.
The Vaal River System (VRS) is a crucial water source for South Africa, supplying 45% of the population and 60% of the economy. It serves Gauteng province, major industries, and mining areas.
The system relies on two major transfers to supplement its water:
- The Tugela-Vaal Transfer Scheme: This pumps water from the Thukela River to the Vaal.
- The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP): This project, built in phases between Lesotho and South Africa, delivers water from Lesotho’s Senqu River to the Vaal and generates hydropower for Lesotho.
Phase 1 of the LHWP is complete and includes two dams (Katse and Mohale) and a network of tunnels to transfer water. Phase II is underway and will involve a Polihali Reservoir, conveyance tunnels, and additional infrastructure, representing a significant expansion of this infrastructure initiative.
Phase II comprises the construction of the Polihali Dam. Situated downstream of the confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu Rivers, the dam will create a reservoir with a maximum water level of 2075 meters above sea level. The transfer of water captured by the Polihali Dam will be facilitated by 38.2 kilometres tunnel with a diameter of five meters. The design of the tunnel incorporates the capability for high flow rates, making it well-suited to support potential hydropower generation endeavours.
Phase II of the LHWP also explores the potential for hydropower generation. A pump storage hydropower scheme with a capacity of 1 000 megawatts is envisioned as a possible addition. This ambitious undertaking would use the existing Katse Reservoir as the lower reservoir and necessitate the construction of a new upper reservoir near the headwaters of the Kobong River. It is important to note that the realisation of this hydropower plant is contingent upon further agreements between the involved parties.
Even without the inclusion of the hydropower component, Phase II represents a substantial advancement in the LHWP’s water transfer capabilities. The Polihali Dam and its associated infrastructure will play a critical role in bolstering water security for South Africa. Additionally, the potential for hydropower generation in Lesotho offers a promising avenue for the development of a clean and renewable energy source.
In fulfilling its mandate, TCTA currently manages a debt portfolio for the Vaal River System of R13.3 billion, serviced by a revenue stream derived from capital tariffs charged on water supplied from the entire system.
Outputs
Phase II consists of the following components:
Polihali Dam – to be constructed downstream of the confluence of the Senqu and Khubelu Rivers with a 163.5 metres high concrete faced rock-fill embankment dam wall
Polihali to Katse Tunnel – 38.2 kilometres long, five metres diameter, to transfer water from the Polihali Reservoir to Katse Dam.
Hydropower Features – A pump storage scheme of approximately 1 000 megawatt utilising Katse Reservoir as the lower reservoir and a new upper reservoir near the Kobong headwaters, or any other similar scheme, may be built as part of Phase II, subject to agreement on the outcome of a joint feasibility study.
Outcomes
Job Creation
To date, a total of 15 699 unskilled labour candidates have been registered in the project area. National registrations stand at 40 226, which brings the total to 55 925.
Since construction began, 2 213 candidates have been allocated to different contractors for unskilled positions:
- 375 (17%) of these are female
- 1 082 (49%) are youth (18 years and above)
Contractors have engaged 3 723 skilled personnel:
- 323 females
- 1 535 youth
- 3 168 Basotho nationals
- 415 South African nationals
- 140 personnel from other countries
A total of 773 skilled personnel is from the project area:
- 8 professional and management level
- 146 skilled, supervisory, and senior level
- 619 at the semiskilled level.
Training and Development
Community Outreach Programme
District outreach teams, who are part of the public health team, provide technical support, mentorship and coaching during the provision of services. Technical support is provided during health education sessions, and nutritional assessments. Data collection and reporting tools have been standardised and they include the community mapping tool from Mamohau which was adopted for use at Mapholaneng health Centre for data collection on the target populations at village level. The community-based health services programme is conducting a training of trainers workshop for health facility nurses and public health personnel from the hospital
School Health Programme
The programme aims to encourage schools to take responsibility for the health of their students as they are educated about the risks of malnutrition, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, sexually transmitted infections.
HIV, human trafficking. Training was provided to high school teachers and community representatives on Lifeskills Based Sexuality Education (LBSE) to capacitate them on health education and promotion skills educate the students and communities on how to mitigate the impacts of the project, particularly teenage pregnancy.
Anthropometric assessments were conducted at Mapholaneng High School. The findings indicated weight problems indicating a risk of developing non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes in the future. The team has initiated food production training to families in the area, to address manage the problem.
Peer educators have been trained at Mapholaneng High School on sexuality education, nutrition, youth friendly services, challenges faced by adolescents, STI/HIV, and substance abuse.
Health Education and Promotion
Health education as a tool for health promotion is an important aspect of primary health care and is required for the successful implementation of maternal and child health, adolescent health, prevention of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases and human trafficking, and water and sanitation services. Health education is conducted during outreach services and during community gatherings and during one-on-one sessions with the patients in the villages.
Training
Training is approached through supervision and mentorship from community to facility level to improve access to services and coverage of health services provided by village health workers and skilled health personnel at health posts, outreach areas, health centres and hospitals. Hospitals are included as they also provide outreach services for their catchment populations. Capacity building is being conducted through workshops, meetings, and interactive discussions.
Religious and traditional leaders were trained on their roles in preventing human trafficking through community participation organised by World Vision and Skills Share.
Socio-economic Development
A Phase II Social Development Master Plan was approved in March 2023 and has been submitted to the Board for approval. The plan outlines prioritised thematic areas of social development, estimated construction, operation and maintenance costs sustainability analysis, participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning. Recommendations about institutional arrangements for funding and ownership of the projects, are also included.
Environmental Impact
A Biodiversity Management Action Plan has been approved by the project authorities and the Department of Environment. The plan has prioritised four biodiversity elements based on their interdependencies, presumed negative impacts by the project and their use as indicators of the health of the catchments within which they exist. These priorities are rangelands and wetlands, birds and fish. The plan is currently being implemented.
South Africa and Lesotho
38.2 kilometres long, five metres diameter, to transfer water from the Polihali Reservoir to Katse Dam.
To date, a total of 15 699 unskilled labour candidates have been registered in the project area.
Since construction began, 2 213 candidates have been allocated to different contractors
Contractors have engaged 3 723 skilled personnel
R5.5 Billion