Potholes have long dictated the pace of traffic on the road to Lesotho’s main airport. Now, after years of patchwork repairs, the government has decided to tear up the failing surface and start again.
The government of Lesotho has launched a major rehabilitation of the A2, awarding a M454, 875,390.77 contract to China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd.
The company will reconstruct a 14-kilometre section from the main traffic circle to the junction leading to Moshoeshoe I International Airport. The work is expected to take 18 months and forms part of a phased programme to rehabilitate the A2, commonly known as Main South I.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Neo Matjato Moteane said the road had reached the end of its useful life. Extensive potholes and deterioration, he said, were making parts of the route increasingly difficult to navigate.
For years, he said, the Roads Directorate has patched potholes along the route, but the damage now runs deeper than the surface.
“For a long time, my Ministry, through the Roads Directorate, has been patching potholes along this road. However, the impact of these interventions is no longer visible because the road has deteriorated from its foundation and now requires complete reconstruction,” he said.
Moteane said he had recently introduced the contractor to residents of Quthing at a gathering at Alwyn’skop, where he outlined plans to rebuild the southern section of the A2.
“I told the people of Liphakoe then, and I repeat today, that the districts in the southern part of the country have not been forgotten. The Government is committed to rebuilding this road because it has reached the end of its useful life,” Moteane said.
He described the A2 as strategically important because it links Maseru with Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing. The section covered by the latest project also connects to the airport. Because of the road’s length and importance, he said, the Government has opted to rebuild it in phases.
“Roads are the backbone of Lesotho’s economy. This is why the Government is strongly committed to rebuilding the country’s road network. When our roads are in good condition, the economy will grow. Trade between districts will increase, while the movement of people will become easier,” he said.
The contractor will widen the road and expand the bridge over the Phuthiatsana River, improvements expected to increase traffic capacity and ease the movement of people and goods along one of the country’s key transport corridors.
Moteane said the project would also tackle safety concerns, particularly where poor visibility and hazardous gradients have increased risks for motorists. The rehabilitation will include measures to improve visibility and control gradients in those sections.
“The project will not only improve the flow of traffic but will also help reduce the rate of road accidents along this route,” he said.
Flooding is another major concern along the A2, particularly in Borokhoaneng, where stormwater has repeatedly affected homes and businesses. The project will include the reconstruction of major drainage structures to divert stormwater safely away from the road and prevent it from undermining the infrastructure.
“Whenever it rains heavily, we have repeatedly seen flooding affecting homes and businesses along the A2 road, particularly in Borokhoaneng, where floodwaters enter buildings,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that climate change is making weather events more severe. However, he said developments in road reserves, wetlands and natural water channels have also contributed to the flooding.
The Government has also raised concern over settlements and developments within the road reserve, which could interfere with construction and long-term maintenance. Moteane said the contractor has been tasked with removing these encroachments before construction begins, and he appealed to affected communities to cooperate with the contractor and the Roads Directorate.
“I therefore appeal to communities living within the road reserve to work together with the contractor and the Roads Directorate so that this road can achieve its intended lifespan,” he said.
The project is also expected to provide employment for approximately 300 Basotho during construction. Moteane urged those who secure work on the project to take responsibility for protecting the infrastructure they help build.
“To those who will be fortunate enough to secure employment on this project, I urge you to work diligently and take good care of this road because it belongs to you,” he said.
The A2 programme will continue beyond the current 14-kilometre section. Moteane said the Ministry has already begun planning the reconstruction of the road from Mafeteng to Quthing. Another contractor has already started work on the stretch towards Quthing town.
He said he would travel to Mafeteng for a similar groundbreaking ceremony for the next section, from Mazenod, where the current project ends, to Mafeteng. That will be followed by the Mafeteng to Meriting section.
“The reconstruction project of the A2 road from the main traffic circle to Mazenod has now officially been launched,” Moteane stated.
The Government expects the phased rehabilitation to strengthen connectivity between Lesotho’s districts, improve access to the main airport, support the movement of goods and people, and reduce the economic costs of deteriorating roads.
Summary
- Moteane said he had recently introduced the contractor to residents of Quthing at a gathering at Alwyn’skop, where he outlined plans to rebuild the southern section of the A2.
- “I told the people of Liphakoe then, and I repeat today, that the districts in the southern part of the country have not been forgotten.
- The contractor will widen the road and expand the bridge over the Phuthiatsana River, improvements expected to increase traffic capacity and ease the movement of people and goods along one of the country’s key transport corridors.
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