Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Roads Directorate has unveiled its ambitious plan for the 2025/26 financial year, backed by a staggering M2.296 billion budget to construct and rehabilitate roads across the country.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday this week, officials outlined key projects aimed at improving critical road networks throughout Lesotho.
Established under the Roads Directorate Act of 2010, the Roads Directorate was formed to enhance service delivery and ensure efficient management of the country’s road infrastructure. It is responsible for the construction, upgrading, rehabilitation, and maintenance of roads and bridges — from primary to tertiary routes.
The Directorate was created from reforms in the road sub-sector, which merged the former Roads Branch and the Department of Rural Roads under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in 2010.
Of the M2.296 billion budget allocated for this financial year, M300 million will come from the Road Fund, M1.737 billion from the government, M205.3 million from the World Bank, and M53.4 million from the department of Development Planning.
The briefing offered journalists an overview of the projects the Directorate will implement during the year.
Among the planned works are the construction of new roads and bridges, rehabilitation of existing ones, installation and repair of streetlights, road markings, construction of speed humps, fixing of drainage structures, consulting services, project supervision, periodic paving, rapid response initiatives, and railway maintenance.
On behalf of the Director-General, ‘Matšireletso Lepheane, the Director of Finance at the Directorate said M165 million will be used to upgrade the gravel road from Thaba-Tseka to Katse to an asphalt road. This project is expected to last five years.
She added that over M30 million has been budgeted for the installation of streetlights in Maseru and other districts.
An upgrade of the A1 corridor is also on the cards, with M32.6 million earmarked for the project.
Lepheane said the Directorate will adopt design standards that make Lesotho’s roads more adaptable to climate change, with M7.2 million allocated for this effort.
The Taung–Sehlabathebe road will be designed in this financial year with a budget of M16.9 million. Additionally, roads connecting Thaba-Tseka, Taung and Mokhotlong will be designed for M6.8 million. The design of the Tebellong bridge is expected to be completed this year, paving the way for construction in the next financial year.
Major intersections within Maseru will also be redesigned, while in Mafeteng, she noted that the Malea-lea zoning roads will be developed. The Directorate will also establish permanent automatic traffic counting stations, whose data are vital for planning.
M10 million has been set aside for the rehabilitation of the railway.
Lepheane said M642 million will go towards the rehabilitation and construction of new roads across the country. Pavement strengthening will receive M587.8 million, while paved road maintenance has been allocated M440.4 million.
The Rapid Response Unit has been allocated M57.3 million.
The Marakabei-Monontša project is expected to be completed this financial year. While the road was completed and inaugurated last year, the remaining components including construction of workers’ houses and facilities will be finalised. Seboche, a new project, will cost M142 million, including the Marakabei–Monontša component.
The remaining components of the Mpiti–Sehlabathebe project include 39 culverts and an extension to Thamathu, with M80 million allocated. In total, M233 million has been budgeted for this project. The Taung-Sehlabathebe segment alone has been allocated M75 million.
The Lesotho Integrated Transport Project has been allocated M7 million for compensation purposes.
The Matlali-Mosenekeng to Lebakeng project will receive M145 million, while M5 million has been allocated for the design of the Mohale’s Hoek to Mpharane road, whose construction is set to begin in the next financial year.
Asked how they ensure quality is maintained by contractors, the Director of Road Network Maintenance, Boitumelo Dillane, said payment is only made after the work has been tested to confirm it meets the required specifications.
If the work does not meet the standards, he said they do not pay. He, however, stated that there are tolerances, but if the contractor delivers substandard work, they will not be paid.
Nozesolo Mpopo, Public Relations Manager at the Directorate, added that a meeting had been held with stakeholders, leading to the development of a registration system to supervise contractors who underperform.
She noted that the report can be shared with other institutions, such as the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA).
“These are some interventions we use to ensure contractors meet the required standards,” said Mpopoo.
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