Africa-Press – Eswatini. Government’s Microprojects Programme has officially handed over construction company Ant Group to two communities under Motshane Inkhundla, marking the commencement of road construction projects expected to improve access and mobility for local residents.
The handover took place on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, at Phalamende Community in Mpolonjeni Chiefdom and KaManyisa Community in Kupheleni Chiefdom. Mpolonjeni and Kupheleni Chiefdoms are two of the three chiefdoms that make up Motshane Inkhundla, with the third one being Nduma (Motshane) Chiefdom. Each of the two communities will benefit from the construction of a 500-metre road over the next five months.
Speaking during the handover ceremonies, Microprojects Regional Project Officer Phinda Dlamini said the initiative demonstrated government’s commitment to improving infrastructure at community level.
“We are grateful, as a delegation from Microprojects — a government programme under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Urban Development — to be here and honour government’s commitment to development in this area,” said Dlamini. “You are not alone as a constituency; many other constituencies across the country are facing similar challenges.”
Dlamini acknowledged the poor state of roads in the two communities and commended the leadership for formally submitting a request to government for financial support to construct safe and accessible roads.
He also praised the role of the Umphakatsi in supporting the project, noting that community-backed initiatives are more likely to succeed.
“I would like to commend the Umphakatsi for supporting this development initiative. In most cases, development projects fail if they do not have the support of the community backbone, which is the Umphakatsi,” he said.
Dlamini further applauded the Motshane Inkhundla leadership for working closely with government to ensure the project’s approval and implementation. He highlighted the efforts of Motshane Member of Parliament Wilton Nkambule, who was present at the ceremony alongside other community leaders.
“The MP worked tirelessly to ensure this project became a reality, frequently visiting Microprojects offices to facilitate the process,” he said.
He encouraged residents to actively engage community leaders such as Bucopho and Indvuna yeNkhundla when pursuing future development initiatives, describing the road project as only the beginning of broader development opportunities.
“Today, we have been sent by Microprojects management to officially hand over the contractor, Ant Group, which will be responsible for the construction of the road,” Dlamini said.
He explained that the first phase of the project involves the construction of a 500-metre road, six metres wide. Community members were urged to protect construction equipment and cooperate with Ant Group staff to ensure smooth implementation.
Meanwhile, MP Nkambule said the road projects would significantly improve accessibility, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. He revealed that the constituency aims to expand the road network beyond the current phase.
“With these developments, we will have covered 2 000 metres of constructed road, and our goal is to reach at least 5 000 metres so that most residents have proper access roads, even during heavy rains,” he said.
Community members are expected to contribute 10 per cent towards the project through a combination of manpower and financial contributions. Government will finance the construction of the main road, while residents will be responsible for pavements and sewage systems.
The project is expected to enhance mobility, stimulate local development, and improve the overall quality of life for residents in the two Motshane communities.
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