INFRASTRUCTURE · LESOTHO
Key Facts
- —The country Lesotho is a small mountain kingdom entirely surrounded by South Africa. Its currency, the loti, is pegged one-to-one to the South African rand.
- —Why it matters The A2 links the capital, Maseru, with Moshoeshoe I International Airport and the southern districts of Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing.
- —Why now The transport minister says the road has failed from its foundation after years of pothole patching, and floods have repeatedly hit homes and shops along it.
- —What happened Newsday reported on Monday 12 October that a Chinese contractor won a M454.9 million (about US$27.5 million) deal to rebuild 14 kilometres of the A2.
- —The numbers 14 kilometres, 18 months of works, about 300 local jobs and a wider bridge over the Phuthiatsana River.
- —What it means for US readers Easier access to the country’s main airport for business visitors and aid staff, and a Chinese firm winning a strategic transport contract.
- —Still open The financing source, the tender details, the signing date and how airport traffic will be handled during construction.
Lesotho has awarded a contract worth M454.9 million (about US$27.5 million) to rebuild the Lesotho airport road, the A2 stretch serving Moshoeshoe I International Airport. The contractor is China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd., the Maseru newspaper Newsday reported on Monday 12 October.
For foreign readers, the deal shows how a small African kingdom is fixing its worn transport links, and that a Chinese firm won the work. The airport is Lesotho’s main air gateway, so this road is the first stretch of the country many visitors see.
Amounts in this article are converted at the South African Reserve Bank rate of 16.5423 rand per US dollar for Monday 12 October. The loti trades at par with the rand, so the same rate applies to Lesotho’s currency.
What the A2 Contract Covers
The work covers a 14-kilometre section from what officials call the main traffic circle to the junction leading to the airport. The government expects the job to take 18 months, according to Newsday’s account of the launch.
It is the first phase of a wider plan to rebuild the A2, which Basotho know as Main South I. The road runs south from Maseru to Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing.
The contractor will widen the road and expand the bridge over the Phuthiatsana River to carry more traffic. It will also rebuild major drainage structures to steer stormwater safely away from the road.
About 300 Basotho are expected to find work during construction, the minister said. Before building starts, the contractor must clear settlements and structures that sit inside the road reserve.
Why the Government Is Rebuilding From the Foundation
Minister of Public Works and Transport Neo Matjato Moteane said the road had reached the end of its useful life. He said years of pothole patching by the Roads Directorate no longer made a visible difference.
Moteane said “the road has deteriorated from its foundation and now requires complete reconstruction.” He added that the redesign would tackle sections where poor visibility and hazardous gradients have raised the risk of crashes.
Flooding is the second reason for the project. The minister said stormwater has repeatedly entered homes and businesses along the A2 in Borokhoaneng whenever it rains heavily.
He linked the floods to more severe weather from climate change, and also to building in road reserves, wetlands and natural water channels. He appealed to residents of the road reserve to cooperate with the contractor and the Roads Directorate.
What It Means for US Readers
For US companies, aid groups and travellers, the Lesotho airport road is the main link between the capital and the main airport. A rebuilt road should make that short trip safer and more reliable once the works are finished.
The contract also shows where Lesotho turns for construction capacity. A Chinese firm won this phase, while the United States remains the biggest export market for Lesotho’s garment factories.
Those factories sell duty-free to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, known as AGOA, which now runs to 31 December 2028. Our earlier report, Lesotho Economy Gets a Reprieve as AGOA Runs to 2028, explains what the extension means for jobs.
A government strategy launched on Wednesday 7 October aims to lift textile and apparel exports above US$1 billion a year by 2033. It also seeks to sell more outside the US, according to Newsday and the Lesotho Times.
The A2 rebuild is not part of that strategy, but both depend on the state’s ability to deliver projects on time. For investors, the 18-month deadline gives a clear benchmark, and Doing Business in Lesotho 2026: Taxes, Ownership Limits and AGOA sets out the wider rules.
What Comes Next on the A2
Moteane said the ministry has already begun planning the reconstruction of the road from Mafeteng to Quthing. Another contractor has started work on the stretch towards Quthing town, he said.
He said he would travel to Mafeteng for a groundbreaking on the next section, from Mazenod to Mafeteng. That phase will be followed by the section from Mafeteng to Meriting, according to the minister.
Rising material costs are a risk for the whole programme. The Roads Directorate’s director general, Linehella Ntšere, said gravel, aggregates and suitable soils are becoming scarcer and costlier to source.
His directorate is holding a Roads Construction Materials Expo from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 October to look at alternatives. Ntšere said new products must prove they work under Lesotho’s own climate, geology and traffic.
The government says the phased rebuild will improve links between districts and cut the economic cost of failing roads. Moteane said trade between districts would grow once the network is in good condition.
What Is Not Known
Newsday did not give the date of the contract signing or of the launch, and no ministry statement was found online. The source of financing, whether the national budget, a loan or a donor, was not stated.
The tender process and the number of bidders have not been disclosed. The project figures rest on the minister’s remarks as reported by Newsday and have not been independently confirmed.
It is also unclear how airport traffic will be managed during the 18 months of works. No date has been published for the groundbreaking on the Mazenod to Mafeteng section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Lesotho Rebuilding on the A2 Road?
A 14-kilometre section of the A2, or Main South I, from the main traffic circle to the junction leading to Moshoeshoe I International Airport, over about 18 months.
Who Won the Lesotho Airport Road Contract?
China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd. won the contract, worth M454.9 million (about US$27.5 million), Newsday reported on Monday 12 October.
Why Is the Road Being Rebuilt Instead of Repaired?
Transport minister Neo Matjato Moteane said the road had deteriorated from its foundation, so pothole patching no longer worked and full reconstruction was needed.
Will the Works Affect Travel to the Airport?
The A2 is the main road link to the airport, but officials have not yet published a traffic plan for the 18 months of construction.
What Comes After This Section?
The minister said later phases will run from Mazenod to Mafeteng and then from Mafeteng to Meriting, while another contractor works towards Quthing town.
Sources: Newsday (Lesotho), A2 airport road; Newsday, road materials expo; Newsday, textile strategy; Lesotho Times, textile strategy; South African Reserve Bank rates.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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