E0.5m market white elephant 7yrs later, looted
MANZINI - Seven years after the completion of a facility built for vendors at Jubela worth E0.5 million, the structure has confirmed residents’ fears that it is a white elephant and thugs are helping themselves to it.
The structure was built for the empowerment of women farmers at Jubela in the Manzini Region, to display their produce for selling. It is a project that was spearheaded by Adventures Mission in collaboration with government. It was completed in 2017 and has been unused due to various factors, including the absence of a bus station and challenges with its solar system.
As a result, the structure that could house about 50 vendors has been left idle and thugs having their way in stealing the roofing. According to some community members in the area, there were conflicts among community leaders, which stalled the operation of the market facility. However, these claims were disputed by the members of the project.
One resident shared with this publication that they were excited when the project was completed, with hopes that they would soon begin generating revenue near their homes. However, she said days turned into weeks, and then months, then later years.
“The stalling of the market facility is killing our livelihood and stealing our children’s future. The money I would be making through selling my produce here would be far better than what I am currently making, and would be used to pay for my children’s school fees,” she said.
However, she said she travelled to town where there was an influx of vendors and was hardly making any money.
The vendors pleaded with sponsors of the project, local authorities and government to address the matter and level the ground. “A lot could be done from this facility as it is near the road and we could be making a lot of money from people travelling into Manzini from various areas,” she said.
Vegetables
Another resident, who produces vegetables and sells them door-to-door, said she was hardly making any income from the sales as she suffered a knee injury. She said it was becoming difficult to go around selling and she hardly made money as she constantly made trips to the hospital.
“With the facility operating, I would be able to display my produce without the trouble of having to move around with an aching knee. The project facility has been stalled for too long, we urge the parties involved to address the matter,” she urged.
Meanwhile, according to the development officer for the project, Sabelo Mlotsa, when the facility was built, there was a proposed borehole, construction of a road to connect from the market to the main road, as well as a cold room.
“All the listed projects were not effected. The communication from the main sponsors of the project was that they could only launch and would complete the other projects at a later stage,’’ Mlotsa shared. He further mentioned that he suggested that it was not ideal as it would be left without completion. Nonetheless, Mlotsa said the sponsors approached the area’s indvuna and requested for permission to launch the project, and they were given the go ahead. He further shared that going forward since then, there was no continuation of the other projects, stalling the operationalisation of the market facility.
“I do not recall any conflict taking place. However, I can only confirm that thugs then started stealing the roofing of the facility because the structure had become a white elephant. Otherwise, if the facility was in good use, I don’t think any of the building material would have been stolen,” he said.
He went on to share that of late, there were only a few of the corrugated iron sheets left and he removed them to a safe place to prevent them from being stolen. Mlotsa said the land used to build the market facility was donated by a local church.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s Mduduzi Lukhele could not be reached for comment at the time of compiling this report, he was expected to give clarity on the role of the ministry in the project and why it was stalled.