Maseru – South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho will officially unveil the completed Senqu Bridge on April 22, 2026, in Mokhotlong District, Lesotho, marking a significant milestone in Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
The bridge, constructed at a cost of approximately R2.4 billion, is the largest of three major bridges being developed as part of Phase II, alongside the Mabunyane and Khubelu bridges. It measures about 825 metres in length, stands roughly 90 metres high, and will provide a vital transport link across the Polihali Reservoir once water levels rise following the dam’s completion.
The Department of Water and Sanitation describes the bridge as a legacy infrastructure asset that will ensure uninterrupted access to key areas such as Mokhotlong and surrounding communities, even after existing routes are submerged by the Polihali Dam. It will maintain connectivity to the national road network via the A1 route linking Mokhotlong to Maseru. 
Ahead of the official launch, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources Mohlomi Moleko will on April 20 unveil the Tunnel Boring Machine at the Polihali construction site. The machine will be used to drill the 38-kilometre tunnel connecting the Polihali and Katse reservoirs, a central feature of Phase II.
The Senqu Bridge is also a notable engineering achievement. It is the first extradosed bridge in Lesotho, combining cable-stayed and prestressed girder design, and was built using an incremental launching method to improve safety and reduce environmental disruption. Construction created approximately 250,000 person-days of employment, with a peak workforce of around 1,200 workers, the majority of whom were Basotho. Procurement processes were structured to direct significant expenditure toward local enterprises in both countries, including South African black-owned firms.
The bridge forms part of the broader Lesotho Highlands Water Project, a treaty-based partnership between South Africa and Lesotho established on October 24, 1986, to address water security, energy generation and socio-economic development. The project harnesses the Orange-Senqu River system through a network of dams and transfer tunnels, supplying water to South Africa’s Integrated Vaal River System, which supports the economic hub of Gauteng, while Lesotho benefits through hydropower generation, infrastructure development and long-term economic opportunities.
Phase I of the project, completed in 2003, included the construction of the Katse and Mohale dams and the Muela Hydropower Station. The Katse Dam, completed in 1997, is one of the highest dams in Africa and currently delivers approximately 780 million cubic metres of water annually to South Africa.
Phase II, which commenced in 2022 following earlier delays, is estimated to cost around R42 billion. Key components include the Polihali Dam, a 165-metre-high concrete-faced rockfill structure, and the 38-kilometre transfer tunnel linking Polihali to Katse. Additional infrastructure includes bridges, feeder roads, accommodation facilities, power lines and telecommunications. The Polihali Dam is currently more than 50% complete, with tunnelling work nearing the halfway mark.
Once Phase II is complete, water transfer capacity to South Africa will increase by an additional 490 million cubic metres per year, raising total annual supply to approximately 1,270 million cubic metres into the Integrated Vaal River System.
