ABOUT 150 residents of Ha Ramarothole in Mafeteng have stalled the construction of a multi-million maloti solar power project.
business
June 15, 2021
STAFF REPORTER
4 min read
Community stalls solar power project
Minister of Energy and Meteorology, Mohapi Mohapinyane
This project consists of two generation sets, one owned and operated by the government (70MW). It is the first of its kind in the country.
The second set is a private concession, Independent Power Producer (IPP) built and operated by a US-based company 1Power (20MW).
For this project, the government has contracted a loan with the Eximbank of China amounting to M1.1 billion to finance the construction of the works earmarked for this station.
What has infuriated the community is the delayed compensation over their fields used for the project.
The area chief of Ha Ramarothole Chief Konyana Ramarothole said the community was expecting their compensation before the construction could start but that has not happened.
He said the government, through the Ministry of Energy, has been postponing the community and now it has grown impatient.
Chief Ramarothole said the community is actually happy with the project, adding that the only problem is with the non-payment of the compensations.
Construction work has already started at the site but no compensation for the fields has started.
The chief said the community has resorted to blocking the roads so that no movement to and from the site can take place.
He said the Minister of Energy, Mohapi Mohapinyane, visited the area last Friday and told the community that there is money to pay them, promising that they would get their compensation within four weeks from Friday.
“The community was not convinced with what the minister said,” Chief Ramarothole said.
One of the residents Leseme Mohapi who is a subsistence farmer said he failed to feed his family because his land was appropriated for the construction of the project.
He was hopeful that the compensation of their fields would have been processed by now as per their agreement with the government.
Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Themba Sopeng said the community somehow also contributed to the delay in their payments.
“We are working hand in hand with the community through consultations,” he said.
But because of the said delays, the community grew impatient and resorted to blocking the construction work on the site.
Enjoy our daily newsletter from today
Access exclusive newsletters, along with previews of new media releases.
Previously, the community submitted their bank accounts which had some flaws that had to be rectified, Mr Sopeng said. As all this was happening, delays were caused.
Mr Sopeng said the community involved wanted to rope in the Principal Chief of Likhoele, Chief Lerotholi Seeiso.
That was when it emerged that some fields did not belong to certain people who claimed they belonged to them.
Mr Sopeng said they have told the beneficiaries that they would be paid from one account.
“This also caused a furore within the community,” he said.
He said they told the community that they would give the bank a list of people to be paid so that the bank would process the payment based on that list.
Mr Sopeng said they further told the community that they would pay their compensation in three stages.
In stage one, the beneficiaries would be given 40% of their total compensation and the same would happen for the second stage. The last payment made would be the remaining 20%.
“The only problem is that the community became impatient,” Mr Sopeng said.
He said the community would get their monies within a month from now because the money is already at the Ministry of Finance that has to verify some issues.
The government has put aside M23 million as compensation for appropriation of the farming land in the area.
Tailored for you
