The Lesotho Highlands Water Commission (LHWC) has invited applications from “suitably qualified” specialists to play an oversight role during the implementation of the R12-billion Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).

The commission detailed in a bid document published at the weekend that project authorities had opted to establish an independent oversight committee (IOC) to ensure the credibility and integrity of the binational project, while maintaining world-class development standards.

The responsibilities of the IOC would include monitoring the implementation of the project and its milestones, based on its master project plan, while providing independent assessment and comment on the performance of the organisations within the LHWP.

The committee would further be tasked with providing “innovative” services to maximise the socioeconomic and environmental benefits during and after the construction of all components of the project, as well as being responsible for reviewing and assessing the measures put in place throughout the project to ensure the safety and integrity of the executed works.

The multidisciplinary IOC would conduct four yearly ad hoc visits to the project areas in Lesotho and would be committed to the project for no less than five years.

The bid documents call for applications from experienced professionals and specialists in the fields of large-scale infrastructure projects, as well as in areas of design, project management, procurement and contracting, financial control, environmental management, socioeconomic management, public health, legal and monitoring and evaluation.

Applicants were required to have at least ten years postgraduate experience in the area of their nominated speciality and were invited to submit their applications by December 13.

The multibillion-rand LHWP was established through a treaty between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa in 1986, and comprised large-scale civil engineering, socioeconomic and environmental developments.

It is aimed at harnessing the water resources of the highlands of Lesotho through the construction of a series of dams for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The first phase of the four-phase project was completed in 2003, while the second phase was currently under way.