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KING WANTS CARGO TERMINALS AT KMIII AIRPORT

By BONGIWE DLAMINI AND SIBONGILE SUKATI | 2024-06-27

HIS Majesty King Mswati III wants government to build cargo terminals at the KMIII International Airport so as to export products like the ones produced by Eswatini Meat Industries (EMI), otherwise known as Embiveni.

Speaking during his tour of Embiveni in Matsapha, yesterday, the king said he had noted that the company’s meat products were currently being shipped to markets overseas.

As such His Majesty said the form of transportation needed to improve so that the products could be sold to more international markets.

“To achieve this, government needs to look into building cargo terminals at the King Mswati III International Airport. In the spirit of Nkwe! I hope the Cabinet will hasten in bringing this to fruition,” said the king, much to the gathering’s applause and screams of “Bayethe! Wena Waphakathi!”

Embiveni’s market currently includes Norway, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Mozambique.

The purpose of the king’s visit was to tour the upgraded Eswatini Meat Industries and Infracast premises at the Matsapha Industrial Sites.

Both companies are subsidiaries of Inyatsi Group Holdings, as the Embiveni establishment was officially taken over by the giant Inyatsi Group Holdings in 2022.

Adding, the king said the expansion of EMI would create more opportunities for Emaswati and boost the country’s economy.

The Group’s investment into Embiveni Meats changed the outlook of the Matsapha Industrial Sites, and most importantly, created about 200 jobs.

During the tour, the king was taken through the various facilities where processes of manufacturing of meaty products, from when live cattle arrived to when the various products were prepared and shipped to the market.

Present to support the king during the tour facilitated by Inyatsi Group Holdings Chairman Michelo Shakantu were Cabinet ministers, members of the Royal family, Members of Parliament (MPs), and the top brass form the three security forces.

Also noted during the tour of the Embiveni premises was that only a few were allowed into the various facilities, while the rest patiently waited within the premises from around 1pm to around 4:30pm.

Since the Embiveni Meat Plaza opened, the establishment also launched branches in Mbabane and Nhlangano, where Emaswati have been employed. His Majesty said he was pleased with the outstanding work that the new management of the establishment had done. He said since the establishment had been upgraded with more facilities than there had been when it was initially opened, more Emaswati had been employed. He encouraged them to continue working diligently so that when more facilities are opened to further extend the establishment, more of Emaswati could also get employment opportunities.

Also, he noted that the meaty products of the company were of high quality, enough to even meet the EU standards. On this note, the king stated that he had been made aware that the Embiveni meat has been positively flagged outside the kingdom as the best.

The Eswatini Meat Industries had been two-times lucky as it has been visited by two kings in a space of about 60 years apart. Back in October 1965, the same premises were visited by King Sobhuza II when the establishment was initially opened.

King also tours Infracast

INFRACAST, a subsidiary of Inyatsi Group Holdings that manufactures high-quality precast products was also toured by His Majesty King Mswati III.

The business is situated at the Matsapha Industrial Sites, adjacent to the EMI premises.

During the tour, the king learnt that Infracast products bear the South Africa Bureau of Standards (SABS) mark and were designed and manufactured with the highest technology.

They were also tested in accordance with SABS standards to ensure they conform to the standard requirements.

200 cattle slaughtered per week at EMI

A whopping 200 cattle is slaughtered at the Eswatini Meat Industries per week.

This was revealed by Michelo Shakantu when the king officially toured and opened the revamped EMI premises in Matsapha.

The king was informed that after the cattle are delivered by the farmers around the country, the company takes about two to three working days to pay them.

During the tour, the King was shown around the premises slaughter house, and where the meat is tested to ensure that it is of international standards.

The king was also shown the factory where the meat is separated from the bones where he was told that boneless meat is only exported internationally.

In order to keep the the environment clean and safe, the King was also shown the water fountain, which was used to to cleanse the water.

Making his address, the King said EMI exported to the world over high quality meet. He said he had visited one country for an inauguration of a president and he was informed that Eswatini meat was the best.

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