PM tours rain-hit roads

In a true Nkwe spirit, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini will tour some of the roads which have been badly damaged by the non-stop rains experienced by the country since the New Year.

As temperatures will be favourable today, the rains having subsided, the PM will start with the Motshane–Mnyokane road and continue to others. He will make brief stops here and there.

Dlamini will focus in Hhohho region, while the Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla is expected to tour other regions.

Collectively, the head of government and his deputy will tour 21 roads today.

The country has been experiencing persistent rains which rendered some roads impassable. Dlamini is expected to assess 14 roads located in the northern Hhohho today, including main roads (MRs), departmental roads (Ds) and feeder roads.

Although tarred roads were also not spared, the nation has suffered significant losses, including collapsed houses and loss of life. Schools opening for the first term of the 2026 calendar year were also postponed, while some people remained in their homes as roads were inaccessible.

According to a draft schedule of the tour shared yesterday by Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli, the premier is expected to inspect 14 roads that were damaged by the rains in the northern Hhohho. DPM will tour seven roads in the Lubombo and Shiselweni regions today.

The roads to be toured by Dlamini included the MR1 Motshane–Mnyokane public road, which developed a failure at Hawane. He is also expected to tour the MR32 Mnyokane–Maguga public road, where another failure occurred at Maguga.

Dlamini will then proceed to inspect the D41 KaLaZwane–Mzaceni public road, which is currently in poor condition.

He is also expected to tour the MR6 Mzaceni–Magoga road and the MR2 Magoga–Bulandzeni road.

The tour will further include the D84 Bulandzeni–Talukatini road, where failures were recorded at Ekubongeni and Mzimnene.

He is also expected to inspect the Talukatini–Manyamalala/Cetshwayo feeder road, where a road failure was reported at Manyamalala.

In addition, the prime minister will tour the D84 Talukatini road, which provides access to Herefords and Matfuntini Primary Schools.

Thereafter, he will proceed to inspect the D20 Herefords–Buhleni road, the MR6 Buhleni–Mkhuzweni road, and the Mkhuzweni Technical Centre feeder road, where a crossing was washed away by the persistent rains.

According to the draft schedule, the prime minister is also expected to tour the MR6 Mkhuzweni–Mayiwane road, the damaged Mayiwane–Mcuba road and crossing, as well as the D35 feeder road linking Buhleni–Mhlangatane Mpofu residents, where a culvert crossing was cut off.

Dladla will also be assessing the extent of damage in the eastern part of the country.

She will tour the Siphofaneni, Maphilingo, Mamisa, Sithobela, Mangwe, Nkonjwa Magaloni FMD checkpoint and Sigwe Inkhundla routes.

Her office has been among those most affected by the persistent rains, alongside the ministry of public works and transport and the ministry of education and training.

The tour comes at a time when Minister of Public Works and Transport Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe had confirmed that all constituencies reported damaged roads.

The PM is also expected to be accompanied by Minister Ndwandwe in his tour.

The minister assured the nation that all roads damaged by the ongoing rains would be repaired as soon as weather conditions improved, stating that heavy plant and machinery had already been put in place in preparation for rehabilitation works.

Ndwandwe said the ministry was actively receiving, recording and consolidating damage reports from various tinkhundla.

These reports are being used to inform planning, prioritisation and the rapid deployment of resources once the weather improves.

“The information we are receiving from the Tinkhundla is critical. It allows us to assess the extent of the damage and to prioritise interventions where they are most urgently needed,” he said.

Ndwandwe added that high-level engagements and internal consultations are currently underway to mobilise resources and put in place emergency rehabilitation measures.

These measures, he said, are aimed at restoring access to affected areas as a matter of urgency, particularly where communities have been cut off due to damaged roads.

The DPM’s office reported that, as of Monday, 413 houses had been damaged, leaving 1 645 people without adequate shelter.

This information was communicated through the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Communications Manager Magman Mahlalela, who said preliminary rapid assessments indicated that the situation remained critical.

He added that loss of life had been reported, while 11 people sustained injuries, mainly due to the collapse of rain-compromised dwellings.

“The number of houses damaged has increased to 413, leaving an estimated 1 645 individuals without adequate shelter. In addition, nine families, comprising approximately 40 individuals, have been temporarily displaced after their homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable due to waterlogging,” said Mahlalela.

PM’S TOUR PLAN

ROUTES TO BE TOURED BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

1. Siphofaneni / Maphilingo

2. Mamisa

3. Sithobela

4. Mangwe

5. Nkonjwa

6. Magaloni FMD Checkpoint

7. Sigwe Inkhundla