Swaziland’s first weighbridge scheduled for January

James Hall MBABANE – Swaziland will have its first fully-functioning weighbridge when the R12 million project is completed in January on the fringe of the Matsapha Industrial Estate near the commercial town Manzini. A previous attempt became notorious as one more wasteful government white elephant. That previous R5 million single-scale weighbridge was opened at the same location five years ago, but was soon closed for unknown reasons. The facility lay idle for years, and was recently demolished to make way for the new weighbridge. SADC Transportation protocols signed by Swaziland require a new weighbridge in the country, which must conform to regional standards. The facility will feature a multi-scale weighing system for larger trucks, with more than one horse and trailer. John Bongwe, director of the Road Transportation Board that runs the facility, said other services would be offered, such as vehicle inspection of commercial buses and private cars. “The station in addition to the weighbridge, with equipment to service bigger multi-axle vehicles in compliance with SADC standards and current protocol requirements, will have road worthiness offices, driver testing and licence offices, and police clearance offices,” Bongwe said. Swaziland’s expanding highway system has taken a beating from overweight trucks that could not be properly weighed. The new weigh station is expected to diminish, though hardly end, the country’s pothole problem.