Africa-Press – Eswatini. Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza has revealed that government needs close to E12 billion to fix the country’s dilapidated road network.
Some of the works include the upgrading of unpaved roads from gravel standards to surfaced roads, maintenance of several roads as well as re-gravelling and blading of other unpaved roads countrywide.
The minister was responding to a motion moved by Siphocosini MP Mduduzi Matsebula who was seconded by Ndzingeni MP, Lutfo Dlamini.
Matsebula moved that the minister should furnish the House with a clear schedule, realistic timelines and budget estimates to be requested in the financial year for upgrading or paving, rehabilitation of extremely damaged major roads such as Yithi Abantu Highway, Motshane-Matsamo road.
Also for the re-gravelling or heavy blading of other gravel regional roads as well as maintenance of feeder roads.
The MPs want the minister to table the report within 30 days.
The minister said he had a programme in action to upgrade several unpaved roads from gravel standard to bituminous surfaced roads.
He said the funding required for the upgrading of roads that were now due for upgrading to bituminous paved standard was E5.2bn.
This would cover about 401km of presently unpaved roads.
He said the budget was requested for the financial year 2022/23 and the response was negative due to financial constraints.
He reported that there was a further E2.13bn required for the upgrading of other roads such as D78 where the ministry undertook the construction of 6.5 kilometres from Siphocosini to Sigangeni and in the current financial year the ministry shall construct another 6.5km of the same road, to name a few.
He said the ministry had prioritised some of the roads, for upgrading as and when the funds became available.
He further mentioned that at the beginning of the financial year, the ministry set aside a programme of action to maintain several roads that now needed maintenance interventions such as rehabilitation and resealing.
Some of the roads included Motshane-Matsamo, Mbabane-Sandlane, Hhelehhele-Big Bend, Maphiveni-Mananga, to mention a few.
He said a total of E4.4bn in funding was required for the rehabilitation of the roads, which were 13 in total.
He said the ministry was also preparing a comprehensive plan for the re-gravelling and blading of other unpaved roads, which included Sithobela to St Phillip’s, Lomahasha to Bhandeni, Siphofaneni to Maloma, Dvokolwako to Tshaneni, to name a few.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
