LocationsA Story of Partnership, Purpose and Possibility
Restoring Life to the Lusushwana River
November 17, 2025
Stakeholders gathered at the Lusushwana River to see progress made in removing alien invasive plants.
UNDP
It was an overcast Friday morning, soft drizzle settling gently over the rolling hills of Lozitha, a community closer to Eswatini’s industrial town, Matsapha. From the ridge, the Lusushwana River wound silently through the valley – a lifeline that both nourishes and reflects the state of the community around it.
Along its banks lay dry shrubs and open patches of sand scattered among islands of stubborn alien invasive plants. Amid this landscape, small indigenous trees – freshly planted and guarded with makeshift enclosures – symbolised both vulnerability and hope.
These dry shrubs and saplings were the work of 20 young volunteers from Lobamba Lomdzala and Lozitha communities – four women and sixteen men – who have committed themselves to restoring 80 hectares of degraded river ecosystem. By November, they had covered 25% of the target area.
CONCO General Manager, Mr Muzi Mahlobo, with UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Henrik Franklin, and stakeholders tour the project site.
UNDP
The Birth of a Model Partnership
This transformation is powered by a strategic partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and CONCO Eswatini under the Nature-based Solutions Pilot to Establish a Catchment Investment Plan. Through this one-year project, CONCO invested USD 50,000 (about E870,000) towards removing invasive plant species and replanting indigenous trees, making it possible to mobilise and train youth volunteers and get equipment to carry out the work.
As a pilot, this project aims to demonstrate how the private sector can partner with government, development agencies, and communities to advance national development priorities – particularly by investing in initiatives that tackle environmental challenges such as alien invasive plant species that threaten livelihoods.
On 14 November, the riverbanks came alive with the arrival of private sector leaders, policymakers, development partners, traditional leaders, and youth. They had come to witness the early progress of the ecosystem restoration initiative – one that is urgently needed as invasive plants increasingly consume vast quantities of water, leaving downstream farmers and industries at Matsapha with dwindling supplies.
ENTC Project Coordinator, Mandla Makhanya, explaining progress and lessons learnt.
UNDP
Private Sector Leadership as a Catalyst
Speaking during the visit, CONCO General Manager, Mr Muzi Mahlobo, explained the motivation behind the company’s investment.
“We depend on healthy, functioning ecosystems for sustainable operations, and we are committed to safeguarding these resources – not only for our business continuity but for the wellbeing of the society we serve,” he said.
Mahlobo added that the strength of partnerships is what inspired CONCO’s participation.
“For CONCO, this is investment, not charity – it is shared value creation. Healthy catchments mean reliable water supplies for households and businesses, production farmland for our communities, thriving biodiversity and stronger local economies,” he said.
He encouraged policymakers, community members, farmers, and business leaders to see the initiative not as a pilot but as the beginning of a national movement for catchment restoration.
Business Eswatini (BE) Chief Executive Officer, Mr E. Nathi Dlamini – represented by Mr Musa Maseko – urged companies to recognise the strategic importance of nature-based investments.
“Participating in the Catchment Investment Programme is a risk-management tool, a sustainability strategy, and an investment in long-term competitiveness,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Henrik Franklin, said the private sector has a transformative role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Businesses are not only engines of economic growth – they are catalysts for innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable livelihoods.
“Partnerships with forward-thinking corporations like CONCO show how the private sector can channel resources and innovation toward shared development goals and meet national priorities in the National Development Plan,” said Franklin.
He added that, through initiatives like this one, UNDP sees how corporate responsibility can evolve into shared value creation – where environmental stewardship and business success go hand in hand.
Partnerships at the Centre
Through this project, UNDP brought together key implementing partners:
Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC), supporting community mobilisation and technical guidance. ENTC also partnered with the Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs to replant the indigenous plants.
Business Eswatini (BE), which engages the private sector in sustainable catchment investment.
Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA), a key UNDP partner in addressing national environmental issues.
This partnership responds directly to the alarming findings of the 2020–2030 National Strategy on Invasive Alien Species, which states that an estimated 95% of Eswatini is potentially invaded by alien species.
The Growing Cost of Inaction
“The cost of clearing invaded land is already above E1.2 billion (about USD70.3 Million), not counting lost livestock productivity or reduced crop yields,” said EEA Acting Executive Director, Ms. Nenekazi Thwala.
She further explained that invasive species restrict access to grazing land, block pathways, reduce water availability and cause health concerns such as skin irritation, allergies, and poisoning.
As the morning mist slowly lifted from the Lusushwana River, its reflections seemed to echo the spirit of the day: partnership, action, and shared responsibility.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Henrik Franklin, CONCO General Manager, Mr Muzi Mahlobo and Chairperson of Lozitha Chiefdom, Mr Alson Dlamini.
UNDP