Lesotho communities sue LHDA over water project data and compensation

The Seinoli Trust has approached the Lesotho High Court to compel the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) to release data regarding communities affected by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The trust argues that this information is essential to determine if families have been adequately compensated under the treaty between Lesotho and South Africa.

The LHDA has previously refused to share the data, citing intellectual property rights and data protection laws. The authority maintains that the necessary surveys were still being conducted when the initial requests were made in 2023.

These legal efforts coincide with the LHDA’s 40th annual stakeholder conference in Maseru. During the event, residents and civil society representatives raised grievances concerning compensation arrears, environmental protection, and local opportunities. An Ombudsman report indicated that compensation arrears for Phase I of the project could exceed M142 million by the end of 2025, with some individuals still awaiting payments from Phase I activities initiated over 30 years ago.