Staff Reporter
THE Lesotho Highlands Water Authority (LHDA) has announced that it will soon take on board eight interns for the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The interns will work with firms that have been appointed to implement some of the components of the LHWP phase II in the fields that include civil engineering, geology and architecture.
Ms Refiloe Tlali, the LHDA chief executive officer, said in a recent statement to the media that the first four interns comprise of two civil engineers, a geologist and an environmentalist.
The four will join Matla a Metsi Joint Venture who have been appointed to design and oversee the construction of the Polihali dam.
Ms Tlali said the internship is part of the authority’s Young Professionals programme.
“The joint venture combines Lesotho, South African and international experts from respected, highly experienced consultancies: GIBB, Mott MacDonald Africa, Tractebel Engineering SA and Coyne Et Bellier, and LYMA Consulting Engineers, and is well positioned to provide the kind of hands on mentorship that the YP programme offers,” Ms Tlali said.
“In the initial dam design phase, the four will largely hone their skills in the Maseru office. However, when construction starts, they will be out in the field working under the guidance of the Chief Resident Engineer and his team.”
She said the other four will join Polihali Infrastructure Consultants, a joint venture between Mott MacDonald PDNA (South Africa) and Khatleli Tomane Moteane (Lesotho). The joint venture was appointed to design and oversee the construction of the housing and associated infrastructure for phase II.
“As part of the critical advance infrastructure works, it must be completed to facilitate the construction of the dam and tunnel and the hydropower component of phase II.
“The three civil engineers and an architect in this group, who are all Basotho nationals, will be based at the Polihali and Katse sites where they will be integrated into the construction supervision teams,” Ms Tlali said.
The two groups comprise of five women and three men.
Ms Tlali said the eight bring the number of interns gaining real work experience in their youth programme to 12. Earlier, the authority took on board four other interns.
“Earlier, two young trainees were placed with JG Afrika, the engineer supervising the first phase of the geotechnical investigations for six months. They were employed on completion of their internships by JG Afrika and the drilling contractor, Diabor.
“Another two trained with PIC in their design office in Maseru in the early stages of the housing and associated infrastructure contract.
“The LHDA’s Young Professionals programme answers the real need for newly qualified professionals to gain practical experience and is a stepping stone towards their earning full time employment in their chosen fields,” Ms Tlali said.
The LHDA internship programme is open to newly qualified professionals from Lesotho and South Africa who are under 35 years. The applicant must not have previously been employed full-time for a period exceeding six months. It takes professionals from the fields of accounting, civil and water engineering, surveying, quantity surveying, engineering geology, architecture, social and natural sciences.
“Successful candidates will be employed by the LHDA for between six and 24 months, depending on their placements,” Ms Tlali said.
