MBABANE – Government has already spent E28 033 000 on the Bulembu-Pigg’s Peak-Magoga Road project as of March 31, 2025.
It is also expected to withdraw a further E17 500 000 from the consolidated fund in the current financial year, which began on April 1, 2026, to complete compensations due to affected properties.
In total, government will have incurred a bill of E45 533 000 before the gravel road is even tarred. The total cost of the project, coded ‘T506/99’ and titled ‘Construction of Bulembu-Pigg’s Peak Road and Magoga (MR2 and MR20)’, is E948 million.
According to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the project has officially begun. The ministry explained that this commencement refers to the launch of an expression of interest tender for the updating of feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs. This means that previous designs, which were done at a cost, now require updating, and again at an additional cost.
The ministry stated that feasibility studies are being funded under Project T521, titled ‘Development of the Manzini Golf Course Interchange Project.’ It revealed that the procurement of a consultant for the update of feasibility studies and detailed designs has been completed, and that the contract was successfully negotiated with a responsive service provider.
The ministry reported that work on the updated feasibility studies and detailed designs started in December 2024 and was completed in June 2025.
Construction is expected to begin once the African Development Bank (AfDB), the potential financier, has approved the feasibility studies. Government further stated that negotiations are expected to start and conclude within the 2026 calendar year to allow construction to commence in 2027.
It must be noted that the Bulembu-Pigg’s Peak-Magoga Road is still unpaved yet continues to cost taxpayers millions. Deferred in previous financial years due to financial constraints, funds now appear to have been withdrawn to finance designs and compensation for affected properties.
To put the matter into perspective, the project has three tendering stages:
- Road design and reviews.
- Resettlements.
- Compensation.
On July 26, 2020, the Times SUNDAY reported that E28 million had already been spent on the project, despite no visible progress on upgrading the road.
In its budget estimates for capital projects covering April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport projected that financial records could show an expenditure of E40 million in the 2023 financial year. However, it appears that the E40 million was either unutilised or not released to the ministry, despite being allocated by the Ministry of Finance.
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