Africa-Press – Eswatini. His Majesty King Mswati III has approved a special licence for the Eswatini Electricity Feedstock Company to begin developing the Libhuku coal mine.
The announcement was delivered by Minerals Management Board Legal Advisor, Mabandla Manzini, during a signing ceremony on Wednesday held at the Mbabane Hilton Inn Hotel, the event was attended by government, the Eswatini Electricity Company, and industry stakeholders.
Manzini confirmed that the King had signed both the special licence and the land lease, officially authorising the commencement of mining operations.
“The King granted the necessary licences and signed for the lease of the four thousand hectares. This allows the company to move into the mining phase and begin the work required to run the business and support the development of the power plant,” Manzini said.
In addition, Manzini said the licence obligates the company to provide quarterly reports to the government, covering production, development progress and compliance matters.
He added that the government stands to benefit from royalties, taxes and dividends once mining begins.
Noteworthy Libhuku Mine will be operated through the Eswatini Electricity Feedstock Company, a subsidiary of the Eswatini Electricity Company.
The structure includes a dedicated entity, E and C, which is responsible for holding the mining licence and overseeing operational arrangements.
The Chairman of the Eswatini Electricity Company Board, Patrick Myeni, welcomed the decision and said it marked a turning point for the country’s energy ambitions.
“We are grateful to His Majesty for granting this licence. We will use it to generate jobs, stimulate economic growth and further the country’s development mandate. This licence will also bring direct benefit to the community of Libhuku,” he said.
The licence approval places Eswatini on a path to establish domestic energy generation from its own coal reserves, a move that aligns with government efforts to secure long-term energy independence and reduce reliance on imports.
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