Community

TEBA has been engaged in the development and maintenance of village water supplies in Lesotho since 2001, working in close co-operation with the Lesotho Department of Rural Water Supply (RWS). (TEBA, which was the mining industry's recruitment agent, formed TEBA Development in 2001, as a not-for-profit company to undertake development in rural labour sending areas on behalf of the mining industry. Lesotho is a major labour-sending area, with 60,000 mineworkers - including contractors - working on South African mines.) The work of the RWS has been restricted by limited funding and by challenges in the supporting water distribution network to support the dam building project put in place.

Research undertaken by AngloGold Ashanti in 1998 showed that communities in southern Lesotho regarded the supply of water as their main priority. This project, based in the Mafeteng District of Lesotho, involves repairing and refurbishing 180 boreholes and hand pumps across at least 50 villages. Most of the pumps in the villages are in extremely bad condition having been neglected and vandalised. On average about 40 households use one water pump and with the average number of people per household estimated at six people, about 240 people benefit from each pump.

The job is being done by so-called 'water teams' consisting of specialists (mentors) and trainees, with a fully equipped trailer carrying tools and equipment. Former AngloGold Ashanti mineworkers living in the area were identified and trained by an experienced mentor in all aspects of repair, maintenance and installation of water equipment (including hand pumps, electrical and mechanical pumps, boreholes, water tanks and other storage mechanisms and windmills). By the end of 2004, the trainees had taken over as local contractors.

Says David Cooper, managing director TEBA Development, "We developed the concept of trainers and mentors in an attempt to build local capacity. Initially, TEBA attempted to promote engagement by local service providers (in water equipment installation, repair and maintenance) but this experience was not positive. The tenders submitted by local service providers were unrealistically priced and show little understanding of the nature and fair cost of services to be provided and, when engaged, the renovation was not done to the level required.

"Eventually, all of the specialist service providers came from the capital Maseru, as opposed to local district towns and villages, so there was little contribution to local enterprise development. But we knew that there was little prospect of continued reliable and ready support on maintenance from Maseru-based operators. TEBA has therefore looked for alternative approaches that overcome these challenges."

The first phase of the project started in 2003 and, in addition to AngloGold Ashanti, is supported by platinum companies, Lonmin and Implats. The project costs about R65,000 per month, of which AngloGold Ashanti provides R50,000.

Discussions are being held with the Lesotho government to ensure that the project is integrated with other government programmes.