New roads for Eswatini
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New roads for Eswatini
Being landlocked Eswatini’s road network is vital for its economy and cross border trade.
By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine
The road network in Eswatini plays a critical role in connecting its urban and rural areas, supporting trade, tourism, and access to essential services. As a small landlocked country, the road network links Eswatini to ports in neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique, which is essential for tourism and cross border trade.
Although Eswatini boasts an extensive road network of about 4000km, a large part of rural roads in the country remains unpaved, which is problematic, especially in the rainy season.
About 60% of the road network in Eswatini is paved. This includes most of the major roads, ensuring connectivity between urban centres. These roads are regularly maintained and remain in a good condition.
Challenges on the road network
However, a large part of the rural network, especially tertiary roads face challenges such as erosion, washouts and inadequate maintenance, particularly during heavy rainfall.
Maintaining the vast network of roads, especially the gravel and rural roads, is a continual challenge due to limited resources and the harsh weather conditions while urban areas, especially the Mbabane-Manzini corridor experience occasional traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours.
The MR3 highway between Mbabane and Manzini is one of the most important roads in the country, connecting the capital city of Mbabane in the western part of the country, to Manzini, the second largest and an industrial hub in Eswatini.
While the road network in Eswatini is reasonably good compared to other African countries, the government has been working on improving road infrastructure, focusing on upgrading gravel roads to paved ones and enhancing transport safety. Projects are also underway to improve road signage and strengthen the road network’s resilience to extreme weather events.
Improving mobility
Recently, the African Development Bank Group approved a loan of USD140.6- million to Eswatini for the first stage of a programme to improve road links and mobility at national and regional level in both urban and rural areas and create at least 200 jobs.
Inadequate road infrastructure is a major reason why socio-economic development has struggled to make progress in the regions of Lubombo and Shiselweni. The regions have abundant agricultural resources, but employment opportunities are limited, and young people lack essential skills.
The road infrastructure investment will enable upgrading of 105.9km of paved roads.
Creating more jobs
The Siphofaneni-Sithobelath-Maloma-Nsoko (MR14) and Maloma-Siphambanweni (MR21) sections will be upgraded and will have a width of 12.3m, including two-metre paved shoulders on each side of the road as well as bridges.
The project also includes construction of an axle-load weighing facility along the MR14 road. In addition, support will be provided to sectoral reforms of policy and institutional frameworks in the sphere of road safety (current road safety provisions are not consistently implemented), and for the design of an axle-load control programme.
According to Moono Mupotola, the Bank’s Country Manager for Eswatini the project will contribute to poverty reduction by creating well-paid jobs for young people in economically disadvantaged regions such as Lubombo and Shilselweni.
“This will be achieved through targeted vocational training and apprenticeship programmes. At least 200 young people will benefit by obtaining formal qualifications and professional and technical skills that are adapted to market needs,” says Mupotola.
New roads for Eswatini
