Mafeteng deploys 29 tanks and boreholes against drought
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Sunday Express
Illustrative image · HRIDYAKSH GEJWAL · Pexels · Licence PexelsLesotho’s Water and Sewage Company is deploying a three-phase plan in Mafeteng to tackle water shortages, with 29 tanks, borehole drilling and dredging at Rasebale Dam. The measures are intended to strengthen the district’s reserves after severe shortages in 2015 and 2024, according to the company.
Lesotho’s Water and Sewage Company, WASCO, plans to deploy 29 water tanks in Mafeteng to maintain supplies when dam levels fall. The plan also includes drilling boreholes and dredging Rasebale Dam to increase available reserves during droughts, according to WASCO project manager Lehlohonolo Ncheke.
The plan will be implemented in three phases. The tanks will provide the first level of emergency support, followed by boreholes if existing resources run out. The third phase involves removing accumulated sand deposits from Rasebale Dam to improve its storage capacity.
WASCO director-general Lebohang Peke Makara described the dredging as the company’s first project of this kind in terms of its engineering capabilities. He said the dam had experienced water collection problems since 2012 and that the build-up of sand had worsened in December 2024. Natural Resources Minister Mohlomi Moleko said the project fulfilled a commitment made by Prime Minister Sam Matekane in 2024 during a period of severe drought in Mafeteng.
The measures complement the Rasebala Dam dredging project, announced on 28 October 2026. WASCO now presents the tanks and boreholes as emergency solutions alongside work on the dam.
