BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
EZULWINI– Eswatini has taken a major step towards strengthening its renewable energy sector after the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) handed over solar geyser installation training equipment to the Ministry of Education and Training, with Gwamile Vocational and Commercial Training Institute (VOCTIM) designated as the country’s national training hub.
The equipment was handed over during the launch of the intensive Train-the-Trainer Workshop at Happy Valley Hotel on July 8,2026.
The event was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Prince Saziwangaye, senior government officials, representatives from SACREEE, TVET institutions and private sector partners.
The programme is aimed at equipping trainers with practical skills in solar geyser installation so they can transfer the knowledge to students and technicians across the country. It forms part of a regional initiative supported by SACREEE to build technical capacity in renewable energy and improve energy security in the SADC region.
The practical training follows an introductory programme held in 2025, which focused mainly on the theoretical principles of solar heating. This year’s workshop shifts the focus to hands-on installation and maintenance of solar geysers, ensuring trainers gain practical experience before teaching others.
Speaking during the launch, His Royal Highness Prince Lonkhokhela said Eswatini must reduce its dependence on imported electricity by investing in local renewable energy skills and technologies.
He said the establishment of Gwamile VOCTIM as the national solar geyser training hub was only the beginning, adding that government plans to expand the programme to every region of the country in the near future.
“We want these skills to reach every region of Eswatini so that more young people, technicians and communities can benefit from renewable energy technologies,” he said.
The minister said the initiative would help lower electricity costs for households and businesses while creating employment opportunities for young people in the growing green economy.
Kudakwashe Ndhlukula, Executive Director of SACREEE, said building local technical expertise was critical to achieving a just and inclusive energy transition across the SADC region.
He said empowering trainers would ensure renewable energy knowledge spreads throughout technical institutions, creating a skilled workforce capable of installing and maintaining clean energy systems.
Following the handover, Gwamile VOCTIM will serve as Eswatini’s central training centre for solar geyser installation, with trained instructors expected to cascade the skills to other Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions nationwide.
The initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, SACREEE and other regional partners to support Eswatini’s transition to sustainable and affordable energy while reducing reliance on imported electricity.
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