Mohale's Hoek industrial estate in operation very soon

The Mohale's Hoek industrial estate will start operations as soon as water and sewerage facilities have been connected, a representative of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing announced on January 21. 

Briefing Members of Parliament for constituencies in the Mohale's Hoek district; members of the District Planning Unit (DPU) and Mohale's Hoek Development Forum on progress at the industrial estate, the representative said a local contractor has been identified to work on development of the infrastructure at the industrial site for five months until the end of May.

Work will include construction of a 670metres long tarred road within the site; upgrading of a 1km all weather road that passes by the site; site drainage and; construction of the water supply and sewerage facilities including a pretreatment plant, he said.

Negotiations were being held with the Water And Sewerage Authority (WASA) on the establishment of a water treatment plant at the Makhaleng River to supply the estate with about 10 megalitres of water per day. Sewerage facilities will be in place by end of next month so that the factories could start working.

"There are also plan to recycle water for use at the factories", he said

Responding to concerns about poor ventilation at the site, the representative said more windows would be added as the factory expands. Other developments would include 10 market stalls and public toilets for job seekers and loading zones.

Mr. Moroke Putsoa, resident engineer at project supervisors Africon Lesotho, said construction of the estate is estimated at about M5 million. A pretreatment plant would be built to ensure that the industrial
effluent is pretreated before it could be sent out, he added.

The Mohale's Hoek industrial estate was launched in May 2003.

22 January 2004