As night falls over the northern highlands of Lesotho in early July, winter's chill sets in. Yet, the Polihali Transfer Tunnel construction site remains a hive of activity.

"We have deployed round-the-clock operations with three rotating shifts," said Julius Topo, site manager for the tunnel excavation.

The Polihali Transfer Tunnel is the second phase of the multiphase Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Designed to supply water from Lesotho to the Gauteng region and surrounding areas in South Africa, the project marks a flagship for this Southern Hemisphere landlocked country and its neighbor.