MBABANE – Tenders for most of the roads to be upgraded have been awarded to Eswatini companies.
This was revealed in a document reflecting the names of companies that have been awarded tenders to upgrade the Sigangeni-Lundzi road, Gobolodlwayini-Tikhuba, Nhlangao-Nedso, Ndlovunga-Ndubazi and Sigangeni-Hebron.
The Sigangeni-Hebron tender has been awarded to Roots Civils Construction while Nhlangano-Nedso has been awarded to a joint venture of Mangethe and Ants.
The Sigangeni-Lundzi road tender has not been finalised yet together with the Ndlovunga-Ndubazi road.
Roots bid on the Sigangeni-Hebron road for E70 401 278, while the joint venture of Mangethe and Ants submitted a bid of E218 234 247. Mgcabho Contractors is responsible for the upgrading of the Gobolodlwayini-Tikhuba road. Mgcabho submitted a bid for E61 861 962.
Sandziso Malinga, the Communications Officer in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, confirmed the opening of the tenders.
There are eight companies that have submitted tenders for the Sigangeni-Lundzi road. The highest bidder fixed the price at E197 753 352.59, while the lowest is at E93 428 455.67.
However, the lowest bidder is not guaranteed the contract, as it may fail the technical evaluation. It effectively means, sources said the bidder with the highest amount can be awarded the contract.
It also means the total value for all these roads could be around E500 million.
Classified documents indicate that the highest bidder at Ndlovunga-Ndubazi road is at E231 256155.51 and the lowest is at E158 966 480.14.
However, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has been allocated a budget of E175 million to complete the ongoing projects and further commence new ones in the current financial year, prioritising the construction of double seal and asphalt roads.
It must be said that the Feeder Roads Programme is implemented through an in-house team in terms of the design and supervision, but the construction is outsourced to private contractors.
In the ministry’s second quarter report, it is said that it has been allocated E1 209 893 000 for its capital programme for the financial year 2025/26.
As at the end of the period under review, a sum of E271 644 525 is the actual expenditure, reflecting a 22 per cent absorption of the budget. The noted low expenditure rate is a result of protracted procurement processes for new projects (Siphofaneni-Nsoko-Siphambanweni and several projects under the Road Improvement Programme).
More than half of the allocated budget for roads and details on progress on those projects is covered under the Roads Department.
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