- The second phase of the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP-2A) will accelerate with an R4.5 billion (about $250 million) loan from Nedbank CIB.
- Water from MCWAP-2A will support Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi power plants, the Grootegeluk coal mine, and local municipalities.
- Residents of Lephalale and Limpopo can expect a continuous drinking water supply by May 2026.
The second phase of the Mokolo Crocodile Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP-2A), which began in June 2019, will speed up thanks to an R4.5 billion (about $250 million) loan from Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB). The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) leads the project.
Severe water shortages in Limpopo have stalled industrial growth and social development. The South African government launched MCWAP in 2010 via the TCTA to address this. The project aims to create two bulk raw water transfer systems. The first phase, finished in June 2015, includes a pumping station at Mokolo Dam and 43 kilometres of new pipelines to Lephalale.
Nedbank CIB provided funding for MCWAP-2A on July 11, 2024. “Access to water is a constitutional right. This loan shows our support for sustainable water and sanitation management,” said Phuti Mokwatedi, Nedbank’s Head of Public Enterprises.
This phase is handled by the GBN consortium, comprising Gibb, Bigen Africa Services, and Nyeleti Consulting. TCTA estimates the total cost of MCWAP-2A to be R12.3 billion (over $674 million).
Water from MCWAP-2A will support two Eskom projects: the Matimba coal-fired power plant (3,990 MW) and the Medupi thermal power plant (4,800 MW), still under construction near Illisras. At Medupi, water is essential for the flue gas desulphurisation system.
Additionally, water pumped into the Crocodile River will supply the Grootegeluk open-pit coal mine, operated by Exxaro and local municipalities. TCTA says that the water released from dams on the Crocodile River (West) and other rivers will meet the needs of MCWAP-2A. Demand will increase in the coming years.
Two more phases will follow after MCWAP-2A. These will address potential conveyance losses and increase water flow from the Crocodile River if necessary.
When the project is completed in May 2026, Lephalale and the Limpopo region residents can expect a continuous drinking water supply.