…E25 million added to initial budget of E121 million
By Themba Zwane
MPAKENI – The cost of relocating families and community infrastructure to pave the way for the construction of the Mpakeni Dam has risen by E25 million, with the resettlement budget increasing from an initial E121 million to E146 million due to inflation.
The figures were revealed by Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE) Environment Manager Futhi Dlamini during a media engagement held at the EWADE boardroom ahead of a tour of the Mpakeni Dam construction site.
Dlamini said E145 million has already been spent on the relocation and resettlement programme, which forms a critical component of the multibillion-emalangeni Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Project (MNWAP). She explained that the budget adjustment was necessitated by rising costs over the course of the project.
She stressed that EWADE’s objective extends beyond simply relocating people to make way for the dam. Instead, the organisation is implementing a resettlement programme aimed at improving the living standards and overall welfare of affected households, ensuring that families are settled in better conditions with access to improved services and infrastructure.
According to the presentation, the resettlement programme targets the relocation of 231 households, one neighbourhood care point (NCP), five churches, two grocery shops, a dip tank and a poultry shed.
To date, 146 households have already been successfully relocated. This includes nine households that exercised the free-choice option, one NCP and one shop.
Construction of replacement homes is also progressing well, with 74 houses, including 15 free-choice houses, currently under construction and standing at an overall 75 percent completion.
The presentation further showed that 414 out of 609 graves identified within the project area have already been respectfully relocated, marking another major milestone in the resettlement programme.
However, some work still remains before the relocation exercise is completed. Outstanding items include the relocation of 11 households, five churches, two dip tanks, two privately owned farms under mandatory acquisition, as well as one poultry shed and one shop.
The overall resettlement programme is expected to be completed by March 2027.
Following the presentation, EWADE management and the project contractor escorted editors and journalists on a guided tour of the Mpakeni Dam construction site, where it was revealed that the dam itself is 54 percent complete, slightly below the planned target of 56 percent at this stage.
Once completed, the Mpakeni Dam will become a key piece of national infrastructure under the MNWAP, which is designed to strengthen Eswatini’s long-term agricultural water security by increasing water storage capacity for irrigation and supporting expanded agricultural production.
Officials maintained that while the project is a strategic national investment, equal importance has been placed on ensuring that communities affected by the development are not left worse off. Through improved housing, replacement community facilities and continued engagement with affected families, EWADE says the resettlement programme is intended to create sustainable livelihoods and leave relocated households in a better position than before the project commenced.
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