Africa-Press – Eswatini. Government needs to make sure that the people from Siphofaneni are prioritised in the construction of the Strategic Oil Reserve facility.
This was said by Members of Parliament (MPs) on May 27, 2025 in the House of Assembly when they passed the E5.2 billion Strategic Oil Reserve Loan Bill. They made it clear that the people of Siphofaneni who were removed because of this project should also be compensated for their land.
Siphofaneni MP Nomalungelo Simelane said while the project was a good initiative that was going to give jobs to Siphofaneni people, there was a need of Siphofaneni people to be compensated for having lost their fields for this project.
Lubombo Region MP Futhie Ngcamphalala also pleaded with Govenrment to make sure that the people of Siphofaneni got first preference in terms of jobs in this project. She said the people from Lubombo should also be considered before preference could also be given to other people.
Khubuta MP Masiphula Mamba said while people were going to have jobs in this project, he pleaded to Government to make sure that quality jobs were given to the people. Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini also called for the prioritisation of the people of Siphofaneni. He further pleaded for the people to work on that project to be taken to Taiwan for training on how to handle this important project.
Manzini Region MP Thandeka Mavuso also supported the project and was happy that people, especially those from the Lubombo Region would be employed. Mavuso expressed hope that even though people from Lubombo would be prioritised, people from other regions, like Manzini, should also be considered for employment in this project.
Minister of Information, Communition and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya pleaded that while people were going to be employed in this project, women should not be left out. Her submissions were echoed by Sithobela MP Mancoba Sihlongonyane and Shiselweni Region MP Lindiwe Mamba, who also further called for the inclusion of the youth in this project.
Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo, who moved for the MPs to support the entire project, warned about expecting certain people from certain areas to be employed. He said such expectations could be dangerous because people from other areas could be completely sidelined from this project. He said while it was important for Siphofaneni people to be prioritised in this project, it should also be remembered that the Strategic Oil Reserve project was a national one and it belonged to all Emaswati. Therefore, all Emaswati should be considered in this project.
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