The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has not been able to meet the agreed deadline of June 30, 2005, to deliver annual cash compensation to communities affected by the implementation of the the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Public Relations Manager, Mr Tsotang Moeketsi, has said.

According to Mr Moeketsi, the failure is due to the ongoing audit within the Authority, which had to be completed before the end of June, 2005. The audit is being carried out to ensure that there are no irregularities in the compensation disbursed to date to the communities.

The audit was to have started in March this year but had to be delayed, only starting in May to continue until October, this year, hence the holdup in the delivery of the annual compensation.

The LHDA will, however, not wait until the audit has be completed but started delivering the compensation to the first 100 people in July, 2005.

04 July 2005