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KOBWA PROJECT SUCCESS GETS MINISTER CELEBRATING

By Bodwa Mbingo | 2018-02-28

MINISTER of Natural Resources and Energy Jabulile Maswama has pointed out a number of successes in the Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) Project, especially at a time when they celebrate a great milestone in its existence.

The minister joined South African Deputy Minister for Water and Sanitation Pamela Tshwete in celebrating 25 years of KOBWA’s existence that has given birth to the Maguga Dam on the Swazi side and the Driekkopies Dam on the South African side.

She disclosed that both countries jointly pumped in E1.64 billion towards the construction of the two dams and a further E383 million as additional costs.

The minister was grateful for the close collaboration that has existed between the two countries on issues of water resources management, noting that the relationship dates back to the 1940s when the two countries started to discuss these issues.

This was during KOBWA’s celebration of 25 years of Transboundary Water Management at Emnotweni Arena in Nelspruit, South Africa, yesterday.

“It is gratifying to note that water has remained one of the important bonding ingredients between our two States. Our today’s celebration marks 25 years of KOBWA being a ‘Centre of Excellence on Transboundary Water Resources Management’.

As we all are aware, KOBWA is a bi-national institution established by the governments of South Africa and Swaziland to implement phase I of the Komati River Basin Development Project.

This phase entailed the design, contraction and management of the Driekkopies dam in South Africa and the Maguga dam in Swaziland.

Both these dams have been completed and the two member states are now enjoying the benefits of the water that has been made available”, she remarked.

She said to mark the significance of this project, in the year 1999 just after completion of the Driekkopies dam on the Lomati River in South Africa, the two countries witnessed the sod cutting for the construction of the Maguga dam performed by His Majesty King Mswati III and the late former President of South Africa Dr Nelson Mandela.

She said these two dams were meant to avail water to the countries’ indigenous farmers who could not benefit from the water resources of the shared Basin, which had already been fully allocated to prior dated users.

Outlining the benefits, Minister Mashwama said through KOBWA, the two countries have been able to improve the lives of their basin citizens and that, particularly in Swaziland, KOBWA has enabled the country to improve its road infrastructure through the raising of the low level bridge along the Mbabane - Pigg’s Peak road.

She said this state-of-the-art facility also received an award for the most outstanding innovation from the South African Institute of Civil Engineers.

She said the country has also been able to construct a tarred Maguga dam access road which has enabled communities around the dam to have easy access to urban centres and also changed the landscape of Pigg’s Peak town through the construction of 170 houses at the Glen Village. She said this investment enabled Swazis to purchase these properties for improved accommodation purposes.

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A water supply scheme to the Pigg’s Peak town which ensured a reliable source of potable water supply has also been availed by the programme as well as the Maguga Dam clinic which ensured that the Nginamadvolo community has easy access to health facilities and the Pigg’s Peak community hall at Gobolondlo that provided a facility where the local community meets to deliberate on their issues. The programme, the minister stated, has also improved access to education and the levels of enrolment in local schools through the construction of Maguga Primary and High Schools and set up income generation projects through the construction of stalls at Matsamo, Timphisini and Maguga.

“Furthermore, the Swaziland government formulated the Komati Downstream Development Project (which utilises Maguga dam water) to achieve a development of 6 000 hectares of arable land. Currently, all of this land has been put under irrigation and has enabled a significant growth in our national Gross Domestic Product. This has created employment opportunities as a result of the formation of farming companies to manage the sugarcane farms.

Hydropower generation has also been augmented through the construction of the 20 Mega Watts hydropower plant at the Maguga dam outlet. The dam has increased assurance of water supply to the Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation.

This has ensured fulfilment of our obligations to the sugar related export markets and with the additional sugarcane stock, the RSSC Mill has been able to generate electricity power for self-reliance and export to the national grid to enhance local power production,” she stated.

The minister added that over the years, the two countries have witnessed improved cooperation and collaboration resulting in the signing of the Pigg’s Peak Agreement in 1991 which set the basis for the implementation of the First Phase of the Komati Development Project.

She said the Joint Water Commission established in 1992 by the two governments provided the much needed forum for the countries’ joint collaboration. She also pointed out that the creation of KOBWA by the Joint Water Commission in the same year enabled the two countries to realise tangible benefits from implementation of projects.

“The continued support to this institution by the two governments through our financial contribution is much appreciated. The role of the board of directors and the Joint Water Commission in steering the organisation towards the desired direction is greatly appreciated as well. May I note with thanks the contributions received from our former KOBWA board of directors and JWC members in guiding our institution to effectively discharge its mandate and then handing over the baton to the current crop of leadership,” said the minister.

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