QACHA'S NEK (TmgLive)  – People of the rural district of Qacha’s Nek in the southern part of Lesotho have applauded the sod-turning of the 91-km-long road along the Drakensburg mountain range.

Prime Minister Tom Thabane officially performed the sod-turning ceremony of the Mpiti to Sehlkabathebe road, funded by Chinese government for 1.8 billion Maloti (128 million U.S. dollars) with 100 million U.S. dollars of Chinese concessional loan, at Tsoelikana Council in Ha Matlali on December 6.

“This project is a symbol of the strong friendship between Lesotho and China. Lesotho is proud of having a real friend like China. This road is going to bring positive change to all communities around this area and it is also going to be a key opener to infrastructural developments such as hotels and guests houses that will assist to accommodate tourists during their visit to Sehlabathebe National Park.,” said Dr Thabane.

According to Dr Thabane, who promised the Qacha’s Nek community that there were still more projects in the pipeline for the district in future, “the government is certain that Qacha's Nek will not only grow in business but people will also benefit from road construction because 30 percent of local constructors are to benefit and over 500 people are going to work during this period of 36 months.”

It is assessed that when the project is complete, it will become a 7-meter-wide double-lane road, shortening the driving time from Mpiti to Sehlabathebe from 4 hours to 1-1.5 hours.

Dr Thabane said the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has become an important driving force for Africa's development and a model of South-South cooperation. “Lesotho is willing to enhance cooperation, mutual understanding and support between the two countries.”

Then road is at the former prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili’s home district and he was present at the occasion as a Member of Parliament for Tsoelike Constituency. He applauded the government’s initiative and said “it has been too long that people this side pleaded with the previous governments to construct the tar road from Ha Mpiti to Sehlabathebe. I thank the government for making this dream come true.”

According to Prime Minister Thabane “it was shameful to have the National park declared as the world heritage site but tourists struggled to reach the place. I appeal to you people of Qacha’s Nek to work together with the contractors to make the road construction successful as it is through this road, travelling from Sehlabathebe to town will be reduced from 4 hours to at least an hour or two.”
Due to the complex mountain terrain, the construction process will last 36 months, between December 2018 and December 2021, as the old road is upgraded from gravel to asphalt road.

“In the past 25 years, we have witnessed steady and sound development of our bilateral relations, and increasingly consolidated friendship between the two governments and people,” stated Song Changqing, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Lesotho.

He said the project was one of the achievements of FOCAC Johannesburg summit. “In the past three years, China-Lesotho relationship developed rapidly. In the future, with the strengthening of bilateral relations, the two countries will cooperate in more fields.”