Annual report on Swaziland / Commonwealth Relations Office.

  • Great Britain. Office of Commonwealth Relations.
Date:
[1949]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Swaziland / Commonwealth Relations Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    36/54 (page 30)
    Chapter io : Public Utilities I. ELECTRICITY (i) Mbabane This undertaking continues to be operated by a special sub-department of Government and considerable progress has been made in the replace¬ ment of old low tension lines. A completely new high tension line is now in use and this has had the effect of allowing the staff of the scheme to concentrate more on the distribution side of the system. The diesel plant continues to give excellent service and there have been very few failures of the supply. Consumption is increasing steadily and action is now being taken to install a further hydro electric set. A loan to enable the completion of the scheme as originally planned is about to be raised. (ii) Bremersdorp The private concern operating this supply has now 150 kVA installed, although with this output there is no standby generating plant. Much has been done to improve the standard and safety of the distribution lines and the service continues to be efficient. 2. WATER Unfortunately, little work, other than investigation, has been possible during the year on the various township supplies owing to a continued difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies of piping. It is hoped, however, that 1950 will see a substantial improvement in several of the less satis¬ factory installations. Boring for water at Stegi has met with little success and it will be necessarv to consider the construction of a conservation dam. Progress in the installation of a proper pure water supply in Mbabane has been delayed somewhat by the necessity to consider what effect a considerable expected increase in the European population will have on the scheme which was first drawn up in 1946. It is hoped, however, that final arrangements for starting this much needed work will be completed in 1950. Certain emergency measures were carried out on the supplies at Bremersdorp, Hlatikulu and Goedgegun and these have eased the situation considerably. Chapter 11 : Communications I. ROADS The mileage of scheduled roads in Swaziland remain: Trunk roads . . 205 miles Main roads . . 476 ,, Branch roads . . 443 ,, Of these practically all are now maintained directly by the Public Works