MBABANE – The E21 million national waste management plant currently under construction in Matsapha is nearing completion.
This marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to improve waste disposal systems, particularly the handling of hazardous medical waste.
This was revealed yesterday during a site visit by Minister for Health Mduduzi Matsebula and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Appolo Maphalala, who were taken on a guided tour of the facility.
The project, led by the Matsapha Municipality in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, is expected to play a critical role in addressing long-standing waste management challenges in the country.
Officials at the site confirmed that the incinerator, which forms the core of the plant, has already been partially installed.
Contractors responsible for fitting the specialised machinery indicated that installation work is expected to be completed within the next five weeks, bringing the project closer to full operational readiness.
Minister Matsebula described the project as a significant achievement, noting that it had progressed within a relatively short timeframe and without exceeding the approved budget.
“It is a milestone to deliver such a project within a short period. I am delighted with the progress of the construction of this important project, especially that it is being done well within the set budget,” he said.
The Health minister emphasised that the plant would finally resolve the long-standing challenge of accumulated medical waste, which has been stored for more than a decade at the Central Medical Stores (CMS) and various health facilities across the country.
“This plant will help us finally dispose of piles of medical waste that have accumulated over the years. Importantly, it will save government millions of taxpayers’ money that would otherwise have been spent transporting medical waste to South Africa for disposal, which is extremely costly,” Matsebula added.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), improper disposal of healthcare waste poses serious risks to public health and the environment, including the spread of infections and environmental contamination. The establishment of a compliant incineration facility is, therefore, considered a critical component of national health infrastructure.
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