YOUR MAJESTY THE INDLOVUKAZI,
EMAKHOSIKATI,
YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,
PRIME MINISTER,
COUNCILLORS,
CHIEFS,
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,
CHIEF JUSTICE,
MINISTERS,
MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR,
SWAZILAND WATER SERVICE CORPORATION BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF,
THE ZAMBIAN DELEGATION FROM NKANA WATER INSTITUTION,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN;
SIYANIVUSELA NONKHE BEKUNENE LAPHA EMASIBINI
INTRODUCTION
IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE AND JOY TO JOIN YOU FOR AN OCCASION OF THIS NATURE, WHERE THE SWAZILAND WATER SERVICES CORPORATION (SWSC) IS COMMEMORATING ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY.
WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THIS OCCASION THAT RECOGNISES AND CELEBRATES THE MILESTONE ACHIEVED BY SWSC, HAVING WEATHERED THE STORMS OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING THE MUCH RECENT ECONOMIC CRISIS.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
AS ARE ALL AWARE THAT WATER IS OUR MOST VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCE. WITHOUT WATER WE HAVE NO SOCIETY, NO ECONOMY, AND NO LIFE.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT GOVERNMENT FELT IT IMPORTANT TO SET UP AN ENTITY THAT WOULD EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE PROVISION OF THIS SERVICE TO THE NATION.
THE SWSC WAS FORMED IN 1992 WITH THIS OBJECTIVE AND WE ARE PROUD TO SEE THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS.
THE CORPORATION WAS ALSO MANDATED TO PROVIDE WATER AND SEWERAGE SERVICES IN URBAN AND PERI URBAN AREAS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE SUCCESFULLY EXTENDED THIS MANDATE TO INCLUDE THE RURAL AREAS.
WE DO RECALL THAT WHEN THE CORPORATION WAS FORMED, MANY AT THAT TIME DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSITION WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL, OR THAT IT WOULD EVENTUALLY BEAR GOOD FRUIT. WE UNDERSTOOD THIS PERCEPTION BECAUSE CHANGE IS NEVER EASY.
MANY A TIME PEOPLE ARE TEMPTED TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO THAN TO INITIATE CHANGE. CHANGE WAS A MUST, TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE WATER PROVISION TO THE NATION.
POSITIVE RESULTS
AFTER 20 LONG YEARS OF HARD WORK, WE ARE ABLE TO GATHER HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE POSITIVE RESULTS OF OUR WISE INVESTMENT.
THE PUBLIC ENTERPRISE HAS MADE REMARKABLE PROGRESS. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION ENHANCES SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION.
AS A NATION, WE BELIEVE THAT MEETING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL OBJECTIVES REQUIRES A PARTICIPATIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES ALL RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS.
WORKING TOWARDS VISION 2022 AND INTERNATIONAL TARGETS ON WATER AND SANITATION REQUIRES COMMITMENT, COOPERATION AND PROPER PLANNING AT NATIONAL LEVEL.
APPLAUD CONTRIBUTION OF STAKEHOLDERS
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE WISH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS CORPORATION.
THIS INCLUDES THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BOARDS OF DIRECTORS, THE CORPORATION’S MANAGEMENT AND STAFF. WE KNOW THAT YOUR WORK REQUIRES YOU TO BE AVAILABLE TO SERVICE CUSTOMERS 24 HOURS A DAY.
SOME DAYS AND NIGHTS CAN HAVE HARSH WEATHER CONDITIONS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO WORK UNDER, BUT DUE TO YOUR DEDICATION, CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY WATER SUPPLY FROM A RUNNING TAP AND OPERATE THEIR BUSINESSES.
LONG SERVING EMPLOYEES
WE FURTHER WISH TO CONGRATULATE THE LONG SERVING EMPLOYEES FOR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE NATION WITH DILIGENCE, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY.
THE CERTIFICATES YOU RECEIVED TODAY ARE A TOKEN OF APPRECIATE FROM ALL OF US.
LONG SERVICE WITHIN ANY INSTITUTION IS NOT AN EASY THING; IT CALLS FOR PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND TOTAL COMMITMENT TO THE INSTITUTION AND ITS CAUSE.
THIS IS NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR LONG SERVING EMPLOYEES BUT ALSO TO THE CORPORATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY RETAINING EMPLOYEES OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
THIS DEMONSTRATES THAT THE COMPANY PROVIDES A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT TO WORK IN AND IS DESERVING OF EMPLOYEE LOYALTY AND LONGEVITY.
TO THE STAFF, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE SERVING THIS CORPORATION AS IT PURSUES ITS MANDATE. IT IS ONLY WITH YOUR SUPPORT THAT THE CORPORATION CAN SOAR TO GREATER HEIGHTS.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ATTAINING ISO STANDARDS
IT IS ALSO PLEASING TO NOTE THAT SWAZILAND WATER SERVICES PLACES A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON MEETING CUSTOMER NEEDS.
YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER, WHICH IS YOUR GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR DELIVERING QUALITY AND EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE NATION, HAS WORKED WELL FOR THE ORGANISATION.
THESE STANDARDS CONFORM TO WORLD CLASS STANDARDS IN ALL RESPECTS. IN SOME COUNTRIES WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE WARNED NOT TO DRINK TAP WATER.
WE ARE PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE THAT THE COUNTRY IS NOT COUNTED AMONG THESE
WE CONGRATULATE YOU FOR ATTAINING ISO CERTIFICATION FOR THE HIGH STANDARDS IN OUR WATER QUALITY. THIS IS A FIRST WORLD CLASSIFICATION AND WE COMMEND YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE IN THIS REGARD.
THESE STANDARDS GO A LONG WAY IN ENSURING THAT THE KINGDOM REMAINS COMPETITIVE AS AN INVESTMENT DESTINATION FOR BUSINESS.
FUTURE PLANS
WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT THE CORPORATION HAS SET OUT VERY AMBITIOUS GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE ITS LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH INCREASING ITS CUSTOMER BASE AND QUALITY OF SERVICES.
EVIDENCE OF THESE PLANS IS IN THE PROJECTS YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN SUCH AS THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT YOU ARE CONSTRUCTING IN THIS REGION. THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT THAT WILL BENEFIT OVER 100,000 PEOPLE.
THE E200 MILLION PROJECT, WHICH HAS A PROJECTED LIFE SPAN OF ABOUT 30 YEARS AND A CAPACITY TO SUPPLY WATER TO AREAS AS FAR AS SIHLUTSE, IS VERYCOMMENDABLE PROGRESS. WE HOPE IT WILL ATTAIN ITS TARGET OF COMPLETION WITHIN THE SCHEDULED MARCH 2015.
WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO LEARN THAT ANOTHER MULTI-MILLION WATER DEVELOPMENT WILL SOON TAKE PLACE IN THE REGION CONNECTING WATER SUPPLY FROM LAVUMISA TO MATSANJENI AND SOMNTONGO.
WE ARE ALSO AWARE OF A MAJOR WATER PROJECT THAT HAS COMMENCED IN EZULWINI FUNDED BY THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.
THESE PROJECTS ARE, AND OTHERS, ARE WELL APRECIATED AND VERY ESSENTIAL TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS).
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
WE ARE ENCOURAGED THAT YOUR GOOD WORK IS ALSO RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY.
WE HEAR THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW UTILITY MENTEES IN THE AFRICAN REGION AND ARE SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE WITH OTHER AFRICAN WATER UTILITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE UNDER THE UN- HABITAT’S GLOBAL WATER OPERATORS’ PARTNERSHIPS.
YOUR PARTICIPATION AND ACTIVE ROLE IN MAKING MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TOOUR FELLOW AFRICAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS HIGHLY APPLAUDABLE.
THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE AFRICAN UNION SPIRIT OF SHARING SKILLS WITHIN THE CONTINENT.
THE CONTINENT CAN PROSPER HANDSOMELY IF WE COULD WORK AS A UNIT WITH A COMMON PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING OURSELVES. THIS RESONATES WELL WITH OUR SLOGAN;‘SWAZILAND IS AFRICA’S NEW PROMISE’.
TO THE ZAMBIAN DELEGATION FROM NKANA WATER INSTITUTION THAT IS HERE, ON A SIMILAR MISSION - THE NATION HIGHLY APPRECIATES YOUR PRESENCE AND WE BELIEVE YOU HAVE BENEFITTED FROM YOUR INTERACTION WITH SWSC.
CONCLUSION
WE ENCOURAGE THE CORPORATION TO CONTINUE THE HARD WORK AND WE PLEDGE OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AS SWSC WORKS TO FULFILL ITS MANDATE.
IN THE PAST YEARS WE HEARD THAT SOME COMPANIES WHO WANTED TO ESTABLISH BUSINESSES IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, COULD NOT SET UP DUE TO WATER SHORTAGE BUT WITH THE NEW PROJECT THIS WILL SOON BE THE THING OF THE PAST.
WE ALSO RECALL THAT WHEN WE VISITED SITEKI IN A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS A HUGE OUTCRY FOR CLEAN PORTABLE DRINKING WATER BUT YOU HAVE ADDRESSED THAT PREDICAMENT WITH EASE.
THE PEOPLE OF MALINDZA ARE ALREADY ENJOYING FRUITS OF YOUR GOOD WORK, AND THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE INDEED.
WE ALSO WISH TO THANK THE CORPORATION FOR ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT TO MANY NATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND IMIKHOSI.
YOU HAVE PROVIDED DRINKING WATER AND OTHER ITEMS TO BUKHOSI TO GIVE TO THE REGIMENTS.
WE HAVE ALSO SEEN LUTSANGO AND EMAJAHA REGIMENTS FROM THE CORPORATION PARTICIPATING IN DIFFERENT NATIONAL CEREMONIES.
WE WISH TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE WITH THIS GOOD SPIRIT. YOU NEED TO BE PROUD OF YOUR CULTURE.
WE WISH TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATIONS FOR THIS EVENT. WE HAVE ALSO ENJOYED ALL THE PERFORMANCES THAT WERE RENDERED HERE TODAY.
WE WISH SWAZILAND WATER SERVICES CORPORATION LONG LIFE AND A PROSPEROUS FUTURE COUPLED WITH ANOTHER 20 YEARS AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE ATTAINMENT OF OUR NATIONAL VISION OF REACHING FIRST WORLD STATUS BY 2022.
I THANK YOU. MAY THE ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS US ALL.