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INSIGHT : Lesotho Highlands Water Project won’t fix Gauteng’s infrastructure and supply woes

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The completion of Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project in 2028 could potentially provide Gauteng with an adequate water supply. However, the effectiveness of this solution is contingent on the repair of aging municipal infrastructure. Without such repairs, the additional water supply will not fully address the water challenges faced by the region. According to experts, political influence caused the delay in the completion of Phase 2 and corruption might have also been a major factor. The experts also agree that change in [the] Lesotho government was not a factor in the delay because the TCTA held firm, and managed to withstand this powerful attempt to hijack the process. This is consistent with an earlier case in which the TCTA successfully resisted major corruption by winning a legal battle that put a senior official of the Lesotho government into jail. Growing demand The demand for water in Gauteng, South Africa, has significantly increased due to population growth and le
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PROFILE: My journey to Professional Registration - Solly Mahlaule

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Professional Civil Engineer (PrEng) Solly Mahlaule shares his journey towards Professional Registration.

I thought working for a parastatal  would make it difficult for me to register as a Professional Engineer. Once I started digging deep into the ECSA outcomes and talking to my line manager who is registered with ECSA my views started to change. I spent many hours studying ECSA registration documents, it became clear to me that I was capable of achieving Professional Engineer status even though I worked in a parastatal.

It's only been a short while  since I achieved my Professional Engineer status, however, I can definitely say the impact is going to be positive since ECSA registration is a mandatory requirement for most high level jobs. The registration also creates a good impression of me because it shows my commitment and willingness to serve society the right way and to abide by the code of ethics.

My mindset was my biggest obstacle towards this journey but after overcoming it , I worked on understanding the process and started to align my thinking and actions to the registration process as set out by ECSA. Specifically, I studied ECSA outcomes and the discipline specific the R-05-CIV-PE and applied the outcomes to my projects.

I recommend all hardhatPROFESSIONALS to embark on this journey because I achieved more than just my Professional Engineer status. I gained more understanding regarding my role as an engineer in society, the way of thinking and behavior as I solve engineering problems. I also got exposed to legislation which I might have overlooked if I did not embark on the journey.

I would also advise any hardhatENGINEER embarking on the journey to devote more time reading and fully understanding all ECSA registration documents. One should then review both past and future projects in line with ECSA outcomes to ensure all necessary elements are captured in the projects. Compilation of reports should not be delayed, it is challenging to get signatures from previous line managers years later. Seeking assistance from those who have been through the process is absolutely important and attending relevant training roadshows to registration is crucial.

Solly Mahlaule is currently a Senior Track Engineer with 12 years of experience in rail track maintenance. For the past 7 years he has worked at Transnet Freight Rail (Rail Network Technical Office), preparing, and implementing medium to long-term plans for the life cycle maintenance of track infrastructure to ensure a fully operational and safe rail network. He currently supports 22 track maintenance depots throughout South Africa by providing technical advice and technical assurance, carrying out track design reviews and approvals, conducting track condition assessments, reviewing, and revising maintenance standards, investigating incidents, conducting track training workshops, and mentoring engineers. 

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