Times Of Swaziland: GOVT HINTS ON INCREASING TOLL FEES AT ENTRY PORTS

GOVT HINTS ON INCREASING TOLL FEES AT ENTRY PORTS
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Nhlanganiso Mkhonta on 15/04/2024 08:16:00


MBABANE – The Government of Eswatini has hinted on its plans to increase the
road toll charges for trucks coming into Eswatini.
The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo highlighted that
this formed part of their discussions during Cabinet meeting last Tuesday. The
minister, who did not get into details regarding the subject matter, stated that
the bigger issue was that they wanted to make sure that the country’s rail
networks functions well. Khumalo was responding to questions raised during the
Business to Government engagement held last Thursday at Emafini Country Lodge.
Increase
The question in particular was on what the government was doing to ensure that
the country’s road remained in good shape amid the high volumes of heavy
trucks moving in and out of the country. The increase in the volumes of trucks
had been necessitated by the reopening of some mines in the country especially
coal mines. Old Mutual Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Muzi Bell had asked the
government as to what was being done to maintain the roads that were destroyed
by the trucks. Currently, a foreign registered commercial vehicle weighing above
3500kg pays E300 to get into Eswatini, while a foreign registered light vehicle
weighing 3500kg or below pays E100 and a local commercial vehicle pays E50.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela
stated that indeed the country has seen more mines reopening and more licences
have been issued to different companies. He said the mining industry was very
much open for both locals and foreigners. The prince highlighted that there was
an opportunity to mine asbestos in the country but no company had shown interest
or applied for licence to extract this mineral.
Group
The minister also highlighted that the Phase II of the Eswatini
Multi-disciplinary Geoscience Mapping was currently underway and shall be
completed soon. Phase one I was completed in 2021, which covered the Hhohho and
Manzini regions where four minerals that include gold, iron ore, diamond and
copper-nickel-platinum group elements were discovered. Phase II will cover the
Shiselweni and Lubombo regions.  “The country’s economic roadmap of 2018 –
2023 identified the mining industry as one of the pillars for economic recovery
of the Kingdom of Eswatini. For investment to take place in this sector of the
economy, quality and reliable geoscientific data and information is one of the
requirements for potential mining investors to make quick decisions on investing
in the kingdom.
Geoscientific mapping and characterisation of the landscape of the Kingdom of
Eswatini forms an integral part in stimulating economic growth and investment. A
full geoscientific understanding underpins any efforts towards sustainable
development of the kingdom’s potentially vast and untapped onshore mineral
resources,” said the minister during the launch of the Phase II in November
last year. The Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini said indeed the intention
was to issue more mining licenses in order to increasing the sector which has
the potential to boost the country’s economy.