Wetskills-Eswatini 2026 – Blog 2 –
Today we went on an exciting excursion to the Komati Basin, where we visited the Emandla Ekuphila Water User District area of operation. We were warmly welcomed by the district manager who also told us more about EEWUD. She gave us a brief presentation of what the district is all about, highlighting their key activities which include
- Water use monitoring – ensuring that water abstraction and usage aligns with approved allocations
- Compliance enforcement – monitoring adherence to the terms and conditions of water permits and
- Implementation of the Water Act – upholding legal provisions that regulate water use and protect water resources, operations and maintenance, billing, water user capacity building and a few more.
What really sparked a conversation between the Wetskills participants and the EEWUD officials is the challenges that the district faces. These include amongst others, illegal water abstractions from rivers and unsustainable land use. Participants proposed solutions to some of the problems, showing great innovative thinking.
We then went to their site, where we saw how their pump station works. They abstract water for irrigation from the river, using a pump system which conveys water through pipes to a reservoir. The system is programmed to switch off when the reservoir is full. The last thing we did on the excursion was to see the potable water supply system that provides free water to the community as a way of giving back.
Lastly, we played a picture game to get to know each other. The game was to choose a picture that resonates the most with you, and explain to the group how you relate to it work-wise as well as on a personal level. We ended the workday by having the first group discussions, preparing for the following day where we would be meeting the case owners and experts.
Blog by Nomagugu Ndabangaye & Desmond Kutullo Mmola
