…More rehabilitation projects in the pipeline
BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
NGCAYINI – “No donga is too big for rehabilitation”.
These were the words of the Minister for Tourism and Environmental Affairs Moses Vilakati when celebrating the completion of a donga rehabilitation project at Ngcayini today. The project started in 2020 and involved landscaping of the donga to prevent easy runoff of soil.
The project has been a collaborative effort between the community of Ngculwini, World Vision, the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
Speaking at the tour of the rehabilitated donga today, Minister Vilakati noted that soil erosion was a big problem in the area, hence the need for future interventions. He said that because of the extent of the degradation, the rehabilitation works had been implemented in a progressive way.
“The first tranche of funds was awarded to the University of Eswatini for the Vetiver grass project which was to be piloted here at Ngcayini and Langeni. The Vetiver grass is the preferred species for rehabilitation because of its long roots. It is inspiring to see the Vetiver grass doing so well and that the site is now like a nursery for more projects. Ladies and gentlemen, for the success of this component of the program let’s give the University of Eswatini a round of applause. I challenge the university to continue doing more research about sustainable rehabilitation methods,” said the minister.
“The second phase of the project involved the landscaping of the donga and for this part of the activities E140,000.00 was disbursed in the year 2020/21. When one looks at the grant amount and the work done, it is very pleasing to the heart, this is a real case of a project that demonstrates value for money. I am advised that this project is estimated to benefit 107 households that were directly affected by the existence of the donga,” added the minister.
Vilakati also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Land Use Planning and Development (LUPD) for making the project possible. He said that without the LUPD machinery and expertise, the costs of the rehabilitation would have escalated.
The minister concluded his remarks by inviting stakeholders who were operating in the area to provide support for the successful completion of this project, as it was not yet complete. He emphasised the role of working together in this endeavor.
“The role of traditional leaders in the success of such projects cannot be overly emphasized hence I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and also congratulate Bantfwanenkosi for the leadership and the entire community of Ngcayini for the hard work and dedication. It is my prayer that other communities can learn from you that good work ethics yield good results,” said the minister.
The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs also advised the public to apply for such help with his ministry as they had a window of accepting applications every year.
“The country needs over E100 million to actually control the eroded areas throughout Eswatini. We are pleased that, working as a ministry through our parastatal, the Eswatini Environmental Authority (EEA), we have been able to contribute to a number of communities, but it is still not enough. We are requesting that communities do take care of these dongas before they become a serious problem,” said the minister.
