China will help finance a R100 million project to boost television and radio in Lesotho.

Under the project, due to start in January, China will give R30 million worth of equipment and technical assistance in installing transmitters, towers, antennae and generators to keep the system running, Minister of Communications, Science and Technology, Mr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, has announced.

"Upon completion of the project, it is expected that signals will cover the western populous areas while most of the mountainous areas will be covered by signals received via satellite," the Minister said.

Lesotho, a mountainous country entirely surrounded by South Africa, will also contribute to the project, officials said. Access to electricity and electricity consumption in Lesotho are the lowest of any country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, a big impediment to communications and broadcasting coverage in rural areas.

Apart from government-owned Radio Lesotho, there are six privately owned radio stations which broadcast mainly in the capital city Maseru. The project will enable Lesotho to rent bandwidth on existing satellite networks for both television and FM radio broadcasts, as well as improving power infrastructure.

04 August 2005