James Hall
THE SWAZILAND government's diversification plan for the nation's industrial infrastructure will bring more business to the freight transport industry, according to the transportation ministry's principal secretary Evart Madlopa.
We are seeing a network of new highways and the refurbishment of existing routes needed for access to planned industrial parks and to the existing ones which are expanding, he said.
For 35 years, industrial activity in Swaziland has been centred in Matsapha, outside the commercial
hub Manzini. Although the Matsapha Industrial Estate, which is served by Swaziland Railway's dry port, is currently undergoing an expansion programme that will double its size, government is targeting new parks in all regions of the kingdom to spread out employment opportunities.
A new Taiwanese garment factory by year's end
will begin operations at Ngwenya, beside the Oshoek border post in eastern Swaziland that is most heavily utilised by traffic from Gauteng.
Minister of Economic Planning Majozi Sithole oversees the diversification of the country's industrial infrastructure. In addition to Ngwenya, we are developing an estate at Nhlangano in the southern district,
he said. Two other Asian-owned garment companies have set up at Nhlangano this year.
Smaller industrial estates are going up at Ebuhleni in the northern part of the country, at Siphofaneni in the heartland, and at Lavumisa on the southern border with KwaZulu Natal.
Some firms are moving into existing factory shells that have been renovated. Government's Millennium Project is also calling for new industrial parks in four locations, including Mpaka in eastern Swaziland beside Swaziland Railway's depot there.
Swaziland Railway's CEO, Gideon Mahlalela, said, Mpaka will be Swaziland's second dry port. It will serve the new industrial estate the way the present Inland Container Depot serves Matsapha.
Key to the success of these developments is road network expansion overseen by the works and construction ministry. The ministry reports construction work is on schedule for three highway projects connecting Eastern Swaziland.
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