Maloma builds roads, bridges that connect rural communities
Maloma Colliery Limited has heeded pleas by three chiefdoms in the area in which it operates for assistance with road and bridges infrastructure.
As a result the mining company continues to invest significant resources on the improvement of road network and physical infrastructure in the area.
Over 50 kilometres of road network has been reworked, refurbished or fixed, with twelve strategically positioned bridges and water drains being constructed.
Maloma mine has spent over E1,5 million on the projects which are crucial for connectivity for the rural communities which are home to over 100,000 people.
“We are grateful to Maloma mine for the economic opportunities that they have brought to our community. We also notice that they constantly fix the roads and have built some bridges for us,” said Sipho Mngometulu from Lubulini area.
“We are grateful that not only is the mine providinv employment to our people, but also it concerns itself with infrastructure development. The road is a great connector as it connects people to vast opportunities which would otherwise not be available to them.”
Mngometulu appealed to Maloma mine to consider tarring the road from Nsoko so that vehicles would run smoothly.
Also praising Maloma mine for investing in the communities was Make Josephine Magagula. She appealed to the mine to assist them by bringing public transport vehicle for use by the community members.
“Besides the need to tar the roads, we would be grateful if Maloma mine would also provide us with reliable and affordable public transportation. Currently we struggle to get fro. One point to the other as the public transport is inadequate,” Make Magagula says.
Meanwhile, Sonto Mamba a youth from the area thanked Maloma mine for what she termed creating a better future for the community members through the provision of employment and the fight against poverty.
Gravel roads
“We would be happy if they would provide tar for the roads as we struggle to get to school and other places due to the gravel roads that take a heavy toll on vehicles,” she said.
Sonto said things becomes worse durinv the rainy season.
“Many places are unreachable when there are hwavy rains. We need more help from tne mine. That is not to say we do not appreciate whet has already been done by Maloma mine to help us,” she said.
In the rainy season, many communities are cut off due to flooding and the rough nature of roads which makes farmers unable to visit their farms, thereby impacting their livelihoods.
It was gathered that Maloma mine spent over E1,5 million in the recent months on constructing and repairing roads and bridges and storm water drainage systems for the communities.
Part of the money was used as a contribution for logistics including fuel and running costs of the heavy plant provided by the Government for the rehabilitation works of the infrastructure.
The mine had entered into a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Works and Construction to improve the physical infrastructure in the corridor, with the former providing financial resources for fuel and running costs.
The roads and bridges that were fixed are those that traverse the three host communities in which Maloma operates namely the Mamba, Dlamini and Mngomezulu chiefdoms.
Among them is the road from Nsoko to Maloma, from Maloma to Sithobelweni, and Maloma to Ntshanini.
Construction works were delivered by the Ministry, with many local people and businesses getting opportunities to participate and earn a living. Besides getting the roads and bridges in shape, the partnership goes a long way in, creating much-needed jobs and opportunities for emaSwati.
Maloma mine entered into the partnership as part of the company’s commitment to work with the communities in improving lives through infrastructure projects.
The roads and bridges concerned suffered extensive damage following storms accompanied by flash floods in recent times, which worsened the infrastructure’s state, leading to the wash away of the approaches to some of the bridges.
The flow of heavy traffic in the area also renders the roads and bridges susceptible to tare and wear.