Leribe Infrastructure Development Project

Nkileng is the CEO of Natureworld Group Holdings (NGH), an organisation which develops sustainable infrastructure in pursuit of smarter cities in Lesotho and Southern Africa. In 2019, NGH partnered with MZU Architects in Johannesburg to rebuild the town of Maputsoe through the Leribe Infrastructure Development.

Maputsoe, with a population of 32,120, is situated in the district of Leribe, which has a wider population of around 337,500. It is notorious for high crime and HIV rates. NGH approached the national and local governments with a plan to develop the city to increase the economic capacity of the city and district. 

NGH’s development project includes acquiring land from current inhabitants. To ensure that the community is not damaged, the people who move are guaranteed with decent, long-term employment on the project and in the new development once construction is complete, as well as receiving fair compensation for their property. The jobs require low expertise as a prerequisite and develop skills through training and practical experience, to upskill the population and workforce.

The development itself includes a large, district hospital to help prevent and treat the high HIV rates. Also, developing sustainable hotels to increase the capacity for tourism and travel will boost the economy once the city is established. A shopping complex will provide a hub for local businesses to prosper. A university will improve access to further education. Finally, a solar energy plant will ensure the environmental sustainability of the city. Smart technology will limit crime, monitor traffic, light the city sustainably, and maximise the efficiency of energy usage. These different aspects to the development are being funded by a mixture of government and private investors.