By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo has called on Eswatini’s private sector to join ongoing efforts to assist victims of recent heavy rains and devastating floods.
Khumalo specifically appealed to business organisations, including Business Eswatini (BE), the Business Federation of Eswatini (BUFE), and the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC), to contribute to this humanitarian effort. He also urged other chambers of commerce to play a role in providing relief.
“The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade is reaching out to the private sector and business community in the country to assist victims of the recent devastating floods that have caused immense suffering over the past few days,” Khumalo stated.
The minister emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the severe disruption and hardship caused to families and businesses by the floods. He encouraged the private sector to collaborate with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to deliver essential items such as food parcels and building materials to those in need.
Khumalo informed potential donors that contributions, including food, construction materials, and other necessities, could be delivered to the NDMA Warehouse located at 1st Avenue, Matsapha Industrial Site, Lot No. 255, next to Eswatini Wire Industries. For further details, he provided the NDMA contact number: (+268) 2518 8813.
The recent rains have resulted in significant infrastructure damage and the tragic loss of four lives. According to the NDMA, 62 houses, 10 critical infrastructure points, and two schools have been affected, impacting 313 people. This prompted Acting Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla to appeal for support from individuals and organizations to assist those affected.
The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) has already stepped forward, delivering 600 food parcels to affected communities in the Nkwene Constituency. The parcels, which include beans, rice, and cooking oil, were distributed to chiefdoms such as Buseleni and Hlobani. Due to damage caused by the floods, including the destruction of the Mkhondvo Bridge, the military used helicopters to ensure the delivery of aid.