Africa-Press – Lesotho. The residents of Mokhotlong were challenged to cultivate healthy interactions with the ongoing Polihali Project and its workers. This is amid the allegations that the
project has exacerbated the health and teenagers related problems in that district. It is alleged that the constructions projects which are underway in that district have exacerbated the HIV
prevalence, child marriages, teenage pregnancies, transactional sex, and intergenerational sex among other challenges and have reached alarming proportions at the host communities.
The Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) in collaboration with the district AIDS Commission and the District Administrator’s office (DA) held a two day meeting in which the
participants were youth, parents, officials of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA). The LPPA’s #BecauseWeCan Project
Coordinator Tlali Matela said the meetings were aimed at establishing the core of the problems from the host communities which should inform the solutions
emanating from such discussions in the long run. There are mines around Mokhotlong communities and the ongoing construction works which will be completed in considerable
years. Notably, there is a Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) which is envisaged to reach completion in 2025, which consists of the Polihali Dam as the major component.
The participants alleged that some women are taken into the bucket of the excavator from outside into the Polihali premises where they meet their ‘lovers’.
On the transactional sex, they alleged that some of the foreigners working on the project do not ‘entice’ but ‘pay salaries’ claiming that some are paid M5 000 in exchange of romantic and
sex relationships. Poverty has been cited as one of the problems which lead women to engage in transactional sex to earn a living. Meanwhile the health reports show that
these practices fuel susceptibility to the risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Reacting to the allegations levelled against the project workers by the residents and the youth of Mokhotlong, Polihali
Project Manager Gerard Mokone said at the inception of the Polihali’s work, there was a baseline study that was conducted in 2015 to learn about the state
of essential health services found in that district and how the project can help improve their state. Mokone said another study was conducted on the health issues which covered amongst others the prevalence of sexually
transmitted infections and the socio-economic conditions in Mokhotlong. He said the district ranked highest when compared with other districts. “How do we join hands to stop these from
continuing?” he asked. The Polihali’s Project Manager said every day they hold the ‘tool box talk’ where they inculcate discipline to the workers to abide by the project’s code of conduct and ‘respect’ the communities
that they work around. He further mentioned that they have tightened the entry restrictions on their sides wherein the people will access the premises by
consent from the relevant officials. Mokone added that it is every individual’s onus to ‘reflect’ and ‘change’. Mokhotlong’s DA Serame Linake urged for
a collective effort towards addressing the district’s challenges adding that they should put aside their religious and political affiliations and act for
common good. Linake said young people are more vulnerable to these challenges. He appealed to the parents not to “labour” their children in search for money gains. The DA further rebuked the councillors and the chiefs to admonish the “improper” conduct of the youth behavioural practices.
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