Road Fund celebrates 30 years of connecting a nation
- Three decades of driving progress, from M23m to M300m
- As Fund reflects on legacy of excellence and confronts the multi-billion Maloti challenge ahead
‘MATHATO SEBOKA
MASERU – In a nation defined by its rugged, majestic mountains, the tarmac ribbon of a road is more than just infrastructure, it is a lifeline connecting remote villages to markets, students to schools, patients to clinics and ultimately the entire nation to opportunity – for thirty years, the silent guardian ensuring these vital connections remain open and safe has been the Lesotho Road Fund.
This October, the Road Fund marks a monumental milestone: three decades since its inception.
The 30th Anniversary, scheduled for October 13 under the theme “Thirty Years of Excellence: from Funding Roads and fostering road user safety and Economic Growth,” is not merely a celebration. It is a moment of profound reflection on a journey that has fundamentally reshaped the country’s landscape and a recommitment to the daunting task that still lies ahead.
The Road Fund was established in 1994 with a clear, critical mandate, to create a sustainable and ring-fenced financial mechanism for road maintenance and development, thereby reducing the immense burden on the government’s central coffers.
Prior to its creation, road maintenance was an ad-hoc, politically sensitive line item in the national budget, often side-lined by more immediate fiscal demands. The result was a rapidly deteriorating road network that threatened to strangle economic activity and isolate communities.
The Fund’s model was revolutionary. It moved away from unreliable treasury allocations to a user-pay principle, ensuring that those who use the roads contribute directly to their upkeep. This system guarantees a predictable flow of revenue specifically dedicated to preserving the nation’s most valuable asset – its transport infrastructure.
The Road Fund’s financial backbone is derived from four primary streams, direct contributions from motorists using the country’s main arterial routes, a levy charged on fuel sales, collected from oil marketing companies, revenue from the administrative processes of documenting vehicles as well as penalties from traffic violations contribute to the pool for safety initiatives.
This diversified revenue model has proven remarkably successful. Road Fund Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ‘Matšepang Sekhokoane, in a recent press briefing, outlined a story of impressive growth.
“Road Fund Lesotho started collecting a little, starting from M23 million per year but that the collection continued to increase over the years until the current year, where the collection now exceeds M300 million per year,” she revealed.
This massive increase is a testament to the Fund’s efficient collection systems and the growing volume of traffic and economic activity in Lesotho. However, as CEO Sekhokoane was quick to point out, the need still vastly outpaces the supply.
“The research shows that M3 billion per year is needed from the Road Fund to bring an acceptable standard across the country, but we are currently far from that,” she stated, highlighting the critical funding gap that remains the Fund’s greatest challenge.
The Fund does not build roads itself but acts as a financier and regulator. It strategically allocates its collected revenue to implementing agencies across the government.
These include the Roads Directorate (the primary beneficiary, responsible for major national roads and infrastructure projects), the Maseru City Council (For maintenance and development of urban roads within the capital), the Ministry of Local Government (for district and rural access roads, crucial for agricultural and community development) and the Traffic Department (funds are allocated for road safety campaigns, signage, and initiatives aimed at reducing accidents and saving lives).
This structured allocation ensures that funding reaches all levels of the road network, from the bustling streets of Maseru to the critical feeder roads that connect the most remote mountain villages.
Over three decades, the Fund’s impact is visible across the country. Its sustained funding has been instrumental in keeping key economic routes like the Maseru-Roma Road, the journey to Katse Dam, and the northern and southern corridors in good condition, ensuring the smooth movement of goods and people.
They fund the gravelling and grading programmes for rural roads, which are essential for farmers to get produce to market and for children to access education.
Road safety enhancements under their mandate include financing the installation of road signs, barriers and markings on dangerous stretches of road, directly contributing to a reduction in fatalities and accidents; while they also fund projects to repair damage caused by natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, ensuring quick restoration of critical links.
True to its role as a national institution, the Road Fund’s anniversary celebrations are rooted in giving back. In a powerful demonstration of corporate social investment, the Fund will donate a fully constructed two-bedroom house to a child-headed household in Ribaneng, Mafeteng district. This initiative provides not just shelter, but stability and hope to the most vulnerable.
Furthermore, in a move that invests in the nation’s future governance, the Fund will donate a mobile court vehicle to the Faculty of Law at the National University of Lesotho. This will enhance practical legal training and support the faculty’s mission to extend justice services to communities.
The anniversary will also see Lesotho take a leadership role regionally by hosting the conference of the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA) Southern African Focal Group (ASAFG). Delegates from eight nations – Angola, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho – will convene to share knowledge, challenges, and strategies.
This event underscores the Road Fund’s respected status and its commitment to learning from and contributing to best practices across the continent.
For CEO ‘Matšepang Sekhokoane and her team, the anniversary is a pivot point between a proud history and an ambitious future.
“We will look back and then ahead and recommit ourselves to fulfil our founding mission for the next 30 years and beyond,” she said. “We would also like to congratulate all those who have been working hard to ensure that Basotho money creates good roads that help them fulfil their goals at ease.”
The challenge is immense. Bridging the gap from M300 million to the required M3 billion annually will demand innovation, stronger partnerships, and perhaps new funding models. Yet, the foundation laid over the past thirty years is solid.
As the Lesotho Road Fund steps into its next chapter, its mission remains as critical as it was in 1994 – to ensure that every Mosotho, regardless of where they live, is connected to the promise and potential of their nation by a safe, reliable, and well-maintained road. The journey continues.
