BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
LUNKUNTFU– After years of travelling long distances to access essential healthcare services, residents of LuNkuntfu are set to have quality medical care closer to home following the completion of an E6 million clinic project, which also includes E2.4 million staff houses, and is now ready to serve the community pending official commissioning.
The development has brought renewed hope to LuNkuntfu, a remote community and chiefdom located about 10 kilometres from Big Bend in the Lubombo Region, under Nkilongo Inkhundla.
Situated near the southernmost end of the Lubombo Mountains and close to the Lusutfu (Usutu) River, the community has long faced challenges accessing essential public services due to its remote location.
The new clinic is therefore expected to bring much-needed healthcare services closer to residents, reducing the distance they have to travel when seeking medical attention.
The E2.4 million staff houses are expected to provide accommodation for healthcare workers and create a more conducive environment for the delivery of health services at the facility.
This was revealed by Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Khanyakwezwe Mabuza on July 24, 2026, after he inspected the project alongside representatives from Micro Projects Eswatini and the contractor.
Mabuza said the development marked an important turning point for a community that had previously been far from essential public services.
“When we looked at this area, we saw a community with very limited infrastructure and one that was far from essential services. Government therefore came in and decided that something needed to be built here, and that decision has led to what we see today,” said Mabuza.
He said the project had created renewed hope for residents who would soon be able to access healthcare services closer to their homes.
“There is new hope now because we have a clinic project that is ready. This means that the community will soon have access to healthcare services closer to home,” said Mabuza.
The PS said the Ministry’s inspection was part of its responsibility to ensure that major government projects were completed on time and according to the required standards.
He said quality could not be compromised when constructing public facilities expected to serve communities for many years.
“Our responsibility as controlling officers is to ensure that the work assigned to us is completed on time and that it meets the required standards. We cannot allow quality to be compromised,” said Mabuza.
Mabuza said the Ministry had inspected the facility before commissioning to establish whether the work carried out by the contractor and Micro Projects met the required specifications.
He said the inspection was conducted together with the contractor and Micro Projects representatives who were on site.
“We inspected the project together with the contractor and Micro Projects. This was a major project, and we needed to satisfy ourselves that the work we were tasked to oversee had been properly carried out,” he said.
Following the inspection, Mabuza said the project was at an advanced stage, with the facility ready to accommodate clinic staff.
“From what we have seen, the project is nearly complete. The facility is ready and suitable to accommodate the clinic staff, and we are now looking at the final requirements before it can be commissioned,” he said.
He acknowledged that the project had experienced some shortages during construction but said the Ministry would conduct a final assessment to determine whether all outstanding requirements had been addressed.
Mabuza said the Ministry would also review the project’s financial figures to establish the total amount spent on completing the development.
“We will now assess the remaining requirements, including the shortages experienced along the way, and confirm that everything we were tasked to oversee has been completed,” he said.
Despite the challenges encountered during construction, Mabuza expressed satisfaction with the work delivered by the contractor and Micro Projects.
“We are pleased with the work delivered by both the contractor and Micro Projects. From our assessment, the facility is ready and suitable to accommodate the clinic staff,” said Mabuza.
The E6 million clinic is expected to improve access to primary healthcare services for residents of LuNkuntfu and surrounding communities.
The E2.4 million staff houses are also expected to support the availability of healthcare workers by providing accommodation closer to the facility.
For residents, the development represents more than the construction of a new healthcare building. It marks a significant step towards bringing essential services closer to a remote community that has long faced the challenge of travelling considerable distances to access healthcare.
The clinic is expected to reduce the distance residents have to travel when seeking basic medical attention while strengthening access to essential healthcare services in the area.
The project also highlights the importance of investing in healthcare infrastructure in communities that have historically had limited access to essential public services.
As final assessments and preparations for official commissioning continue, the E6 million clinic project stands as a symbol of renewed hope for the LuNkuntfu community.
Once commissioned, the facility is expected to bring essential medical services closer to residents, while the staff houses will help ensure that healthcare workers have suitable accommodation near their place of work.
For the people of LuNkuntfu, the completion of the clinic signals the beginning of a new chapter in healthcare delivery, with quality medical services set to become more accessible to a community that has long needed them closer to home.
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