BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – E42m investment in the Nkwene Inkhundla is set to transform the lives of 3 500 households in the area.
This was disclosed during the tour of the Minister for Economic Planning and Development, Dr. Thambo Gina, and the Minister for Tinkhunda Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini to Nkwene Inkhundla as part of an official visit on Thursday last week.
During their tour of Nkwene Inkhundla, the Ministers were shown the Nkwene water supply project, which aims to provide clean water to the entire Inkhundla and reduce costs. They also visited a newly built Umphakatsi, which provides housing for the community, and toured a 50-hectare farm benefiting 27 members of the Zamani Mkhenyane Investment committee.
Makhosi Dlamini, an official at the Micro Projects Programme Water Department, explained to the Ministers that the Nkwene water supply project has a scope of sourcing water from two rivers in order to reduce costs and supply the entire Inkhundla with clean water. The project has been in development for the past three years, and has already invested E42 million in the infrastructure that will benefit 3 500 homesteads.
According to Dlamini, the first section of the 3 500 homesteads (consisting of 131 homesteads) will have access to potable water by August of this year. So far, 37.3 kilometers of pipeline have been installed, and a total of 1.25 million litres of water storage capacity has been built. In addition, work is underway on additional reservoirs and intake works to ensure a steady supply of clean water.
Secretary of Zamani Mkhenyane Investment Zakharia Dlamini, addressed the Ministers and expressed his appreciation for the Government’s support in making the project possible. He stated that the group consisted of 27 members, who have harvested 20 hectares of soybeans and are looking to expand their production. He also mentioned the difficulties the group has faced financially and their efforts to overcome them, with the help of the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard). Dlamini urged Government to continue supporting such initiatives and promote similar work in the future.
Zakharia, in his remarks to the Ministers said: “We are a committee consisting of 27 members and this project began in 2018 through the efforts of Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) and Water harvesting.
Members of the group have harvested 20 hectors worth of soya beans and intend to harvest more. “We faced financial difficulties and which were alleviated by NAMBOARD. We have also contacted Inkhundla to help us to get a tractor which would help us in production. We are thankful to our Government which has pulled through, and we encourage works such as these to be explored and supported,” Zacharia concluded.
