Officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development carried out a site visit in the Shiselweni Region yesterday as part of preparations for a masterplan that will guide the development of a proposed Eco City in the area.
The visit followed a two day stakeholder workshop linked to the ongoing project. Government officials and development partners travelled across parts of Shiselweni to assess potential sites connected to the initiative.
Representatives from UN Habitat, Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise, the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, the Eswatini Environment Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy joined the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development during the field assessment.
The proposed Eco City is expected to provide services, facilities and essential infrastructure that will support the Mkhondvo Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Project. The large scale water project is designed to improve water supply and irrigation capacity in the southern part of the country.
During the visit, the delegation made several stops within the Shiselweni Region to gain a clearer understanding of the locations where dams and related infrastructure linked to the water augmentation project will be constructed.
The team also inspected areas identified as possible sites for the Eco City development as planners work toward producing a comprehensive masterplan that aligns urban development with the broader water infrastructure project.
Their final stop was at the 7th on the Hill Hotel where officials reviewed the development plans and long term vision of the project. The visit was intended to ensure that the proposed Eco City design integrates with and complements the hotel development as planning for the new urban centre progresses.
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