This is a siSwati translation of the original article which you can find here in English: What’s wrong with the proposed Lubhuku Coal Power Plant?

Live lasEswatini lisemacaletelweni sekuhlela kwakhiwa kwesiteshi sekuphehla gesi ngemalahle endzaweni yaseLubhuku (Mpaka), lokufaka ekhatsi kuvusetela timayini temalahle letisedvute nalendzawo lebetisalo tingastjentiswa eminyakeni lengemashumi laphindzaphidziwe. Lomsebenti lona sewuneminyaka salomane udzingidzwa, uphindze ubeyincenye yeEswatini Energy Masterplan 2020-2034 leyasungulwa nga2018.

Ingabe yintfutfuko leyemukelekile yini lena, leyisiyisa madvutane nengcebo nekuba live lelisembile “first-world status”, noma sitidubula enyaweni ngekukopa tinkinga letentiwe ngemave latfutfukile?

Yebo kona sonkhe singavumelana kutsi live lasEswatini liyadzinga kusebenta kutsi lifinyelele ekutseni libe ngulelitimele ekuphehleni gesi walo (sehlise linani lekutsembela kugesi wabomakhelwane), kunetingcinamba letimbalwa lokumele kutsi tikhulunyiswe.

Asesicale ngekubuka “tintfo letinhle”, ngalomsebenti lofuna kusungulwa, letintfo tite sisidvo lesiningi umasesitibukisisa.

Lencwadzi lesemtsetfweni lechaza ngalomsebenti ichaza naku lokulandzelako:

Sigaba A. “Sidzinga kwehlisa kuncikela kwetfu kugesi wakubomakhelwane, sinake kutakhela lana ekhaya ngekusebentisa lobuningi bemvele lobungemalahle.”

Sonkhe singavumelana kutsi Eswatini uncike kakhulu kugesi wabomakhelwane, loko kudzinga kushintja – sidzinga kutimela sibenagesi wetfu. Iminyaka yekusebenta kwalesiteshi sagesi, kanye nalelinani lemalahle lakhona eveni, kubuketwe kutsi ingaba ngulengu 30-40. Tibalo titsi lomsebenti utawudzinga imali lenkhulu kakhulu lengu E12billion, kantsi kungabakuhle  kutsi sihlanyele lemali kuletinye “tinhlangotsi temvelo letichichimako” njenga gesi wemandla elilanga, umoya nemicuba – lokungemandla agesi langasoze aphele (aphindze ashiphile).

Incenye yale Energy Masterplan ifaka ekhatsi kwakhiwa kwe 40MW gesi welilanga na 40MW gesi wemucuba – kodzwa konkhe loku kubese kwenganyelwa ngulokunaka lesakhiwo sekuphehla gesi ngemalahle lesingu 300MW. (MW = Megawatts, sigidzigidzi sema watts).

Kunekucabanga kutsi emalahle ayindlela leshiphile yekwakha gesi, lephindze ibenguleyetsembekile ekubeni sihlangu sagesi – kodvwa loku akusilo liciniso leliphelele. Tintfo tiyashintja, sekuphindze kuyabonakala kutsi gesi lophehlwe ngemvelo lengapheli uyakhona kubangulotsembekile ekusimamiseni gesi welive. Kulamanye emave, kufaka ekhatsi South Africa, sekushiphile kuhlanyela imali kugesi wemvelo lengaphela kunekuyihlanyela kugesi wemalahle.

Live lasEswatini, kanye neAfrica yonkhana, isesimeni sekuzuba singasebentisi gesi wemalahle nabo oyili ishone embili ekubeni yindzawo leyite tintfutfu letingcolisa sibhakabhaka semhlaba. Loku kuyafana nalesikwentile ngekutsi sizube ehlangotsini lwetekuchumana, lapho khoona bomahlala ekhukhwini batfolaka sebashiphile kunekuba nelicingo lelihlala endlini. Kungani sifune kulandzela etinyatselweni temave langase nyakatfo kantsi singakhona kucala likusasa letfu leli tfokotisa imvelo liphindze liletse gesi lotawutfokotelwa nguwonkhe muntfu?

“Tishaya mtsetfo kumele time kuhlanyela imali kugesi wemalahle njengamanje bese takha kabusha imitsetfo yetimakethe tagesi khona kutoncipha takhiwo lesetingesanamsebenti bese kusheshiswa kungena kweminotfo lengcolisa kancane sibhakabhaka.”

Carbon Brief Report

Lelitemu stranded asset limucoka kutsi silati ngoba liyachubeka kumbhandzakanywa emisebentini lemisha yemalahle nabo oyili. Umhlaba usachubeka uyamadvute nekunciphisa kungcoliseka kwesibhakabhaka, singatfuke sibone imali seyiphela kusakhiwa lesiteshi sagesi noma ime kusebenta sikhatsi sayo singakafiki ngoba timayini temalahle nekuphehla kwato bogesi setiphelelwa yimphumelelo eitmalini – lokutasishiya nesakhiwo lesikhulu lesingcolile Eswatini.

Sigaba B sitsi: “Lomsebenti utawunciphisa kuphuya, unyuse linani lekucashwa, ufake ekhatsi ticuku letidzinga lusito njengemakhaya laholwa bantfwana, bomake, nalabakhubatekile.”

Kanjalo, umasinganakisisa kugesi wemvelo lohlobile singabona kucashwa kwebantfu emisebantini leyineminyaka leydlula lengu 30 – singabe sifundzisa, sinyusa nemakhono kanye nekucasha Emaswati emisebentini lengeke iphele. Kutsembisa imisebenti lenelikusasa etinkapaneni letiphehla gesi ngemalahle kuyadukisa kuphidze kubebete likusasa, kantsi futsi singabe sidayisela bantfu intfo yamanje letogcina ibashiya bemendzawonye bakhangetela umsebenti lofako.

Akuvakali kuphindze kusiphice umakutsiwa lomsebenti utawufaka ekhatsi emakhaya laholwa bantfwana, bomake nalabakhubatekile – ngaphandleke umangabe labantfu batawuba yincenye yalemayini yemalahle?

Lencwadzi lesemtsetfweni lechaza ngalomsebenti ichaza naku lokulandzelako:

Sigaba A. “Lombuto wekubangumnikati wemhlaba, ngetivumelwano temhlada walendzawo yalomsebenti lengu 45ha.”

Lemimango leyitsintsekako ngalomsebenti iyadzinga (phidze ifanelwe) kucociswa kabanti. Kuyadzingeka kutsi kubenelucociswano lolujulile kuyoyonkhe imimango yasendzaweni yaseMpaka/Lubombo lonkhana, kutokwatiseka kutsi bantfu bemumanguu bayahambisana yini nalomsebenti lowufuna kuletswa kulendzawo (bati kabanti buhle nebubi bakokonkhe). Angeke lomsebenti sewenteke ngaphandle kwekufaka ekhatsi bonkhe bantfu bemumango kuletincumo. Loku kudzinga kutsi kube nemihlangano yekucocisana leyehlukahlukene kubhalwe phansi yonkhe imivo kungaka tsatfwa sijubo sekutsi umsebenti uyachubeka noma cha.

Sigaba B utsi: “Umbuto wekushintja kusetjentiswa kwemhlaba, kusuka ekubeni kusemadlelweni kuye ekubeni yindzawo yemafemu.” Sigaba C sitsi: “Tinkinmga tekuhlakahlukana kwemvelo nekuhlaliseka kwayo. Lendzawo ingulephansi lenemahlatsi lamafisha iphindze ibengule shukumako ekongeni kwemvelo.”

Kushintja kwekusetjentiswa kwemuhlaba kumcoka kakhulu eveni lelincane lelinjenga leli lasEswatini – angeke sikhone kulahlekelwa tindzawo letivikelwe, letinemvelo leyahlukahlukene naletisetjentiswa yimimango. Kulahlekelwa ngumhlaba wemumango ngenca yemsebenti lotawuletsa kubhubha kudzingeka kutsi bonkhe labatawukhinyabeteka babesekhatsi kutotonkhe tincumo – hhayi lushintjo lolutswa bantfu bakhashane, bemtsetfo netitjala mali.

Lokwekutsi lendzawo ngule yongiwa betemvelo kuyakhatsata kakhulu – lokuhlukubeteka kwemvelo nemisebenti lehambelana nako kudzinga kuhlolwa ngulabafundzele kabanti ngetemvelo, khona batawusatisa tinkinga letingenteka kulemvelo umangabe lomsebenti usungulwa.

Litiko letekuvakasha nalo lingahle lihlukubeteke – bonkhe betekuvakasha bayadzingeka kutsi nabo babekhona ekukhulumisaneni kwalendzaba yalomsebenti. Eswatini yatiwa ngekutsi yindzawo leyiphambili ngetekuvakashelwa, loku sifisa kusisite kusabukwa tindlela tekunyusa umnotfo sisaphuma ku-Covid. Bantfu bekuhamba bangativa banjani bandiza ekhatsi entfutfwini yemalahle basehla esikhumulweni setindiza iKMIII? Yona imvelo, tekuvakasha kwasemimangweni, eLubonjeni, umoya, kubukeka nemusindvo walenkapane nemayini kutawukukhinyabeteka kanjani?

Sigaba D. “Tindzaba temanti – Lubonjeni yindzawo leyomile. Ngaloko, emanti sidzingeko sekuchuba umsebenti, ngoba lomsebenti utawudzinga emanti ekwakheni emanti layintfutfu leshisako leyibese seyiphehla gesi.”

Titeshi tagsei lophehlwe ngemalahle tisebentisa linani leliningi kakhulu lwemanti ekuphotisa lesiteshi phindze kwakheke lamanti layintfutfu leshisako. Lomsebenti ufise kusebentisa umfula lodvute weMbuluzi, lovele usetjentiswa kakhulu tinkapane letilima umoba, kanye nemimango yaseLubonjeni. Lomsebenti lona ungahle ukhinyabete linani lwemanti lweMbuluzi nabobonkhe labasebentisa lomfula. Kuyadzingeka kutsi betemvelo bahlolisise kutsi kusetjentiswa kwalomfula kutawkuba natiphi tinkinga, nekufaka ekhatsi kungcola lokungahle kungene emantini umangabe lomsebenti ucala.

Sigaba E. “Indzaba yetintfutfu. Loku kumcoka kakhulu. Tintfutfu letiyingoti letitawuphuma umakushiswa lamalahle titawukuba nemphumela lomubi emphilweni yemimango yase Lubonjeni nemacentselo ayo.”

Makhelwane wetfu iMpumalanga seyivele iyindzayo lenemvelo lengcole kakhulu emhlabeni ngenca yekuba yindzawo leyinemafemu lamaningi laphehla gesi ngemalahle. Imimango leyibomakhelwane nalolonkhe Lubombo lungaba sesimeni sebungoti ngalentfutfu leyitophuma eLubhuku – iphindze iwele emaveni abomakhelwane. Bantfu labahlala eMpumalalnga sebavele banenkinga yetemphilo ngenca yekuphefumula umoya longcolile, nenombholo leyenyukako yetifo nekufa lokuphatseleni nemoya longcolile, kantsi futsi nemacala semaningi laletfwe etinkantolo ngatona tinkinga talamafemu emalahle.

South Africa ifuna kuphuma ekusebentiseni emalahle kantsi futsi iNGO yase South Africa, GroundWork, iwine licala lelikhone kuvala inkapane yephehla gesi yemalahle yeKhanyisa 600MW eMpumalanga.

Kuphindze kube nemihambo yetinhlango teAfrica letikhutsata kutsi iAfrica yonkhe isuke ekusebentiseni emalahle nabo oyili, tinhlangano letifaka ekhatsi Africa Vuka, Fossil Free SA, neGround Work. iAfrica yonkhana isemkhankhasweni yekusebentisa gesi lohlobile longakhinyabeti imvelo. Eswatini kudzingeka kutsi nayo ilandzele lomhambo ingashoni kulenye indlela.

Kwekugcina, Sigaba F. “Indzaba yekugucugucuka kwesimo selitulu. Loko kukhatsata umhlaba wonkhe. Umoya longcolile lowutawuphuma kulomsebenti utawandzisa ekugucukeni kwesimo selitulu, lekuyindzaba umhlaba lesiyibuketile.”

Kushiswa kwemalahle kuletsa kungcola lokukhulu esibhakabhakeni, kudzingeka kutsi sikuvimbe loku. Lomsebenti lona utawungeta kungcola kwemoya uphindze uphikisane naletivumelwano lesititse silive kutsi sehlise linani lekungola kwesibhakabhaka.

Kuchubeka nalomsebenti lona kutawukusimisa kabi kutotonkhe tincumo tesititsetse silive kutse sitawumelelana nekungoliswa kwemvelo. Singahle silahlekelwe natimali letisita ngekunciphisa kwekungcoliswa nekubulawa kwemvelo.

Kugucugucuka kwemhlaba kuyintfo lekhona manje. Lesi sikhatsi sekulwa nekushisa kwemhlaba.

Kusimanga kutsi singacabanga kumosha sikhatsi nemali entfweni lengcolisa umhlaba kantsi ayidzingeki. Indlela yekuphehla gesi ledule kangaka kantsi kukhona leshiphile ayidzingeki.

Sisencupheni yekwekhisa sitfunti setfu emhlabeni umangabe sichubeka nalomsebenti wekuphehla gesi wemalahle kantsi umhlaba wonkhe ufuna kuyekela kusebentisa emalahle.

Live lasEswatini lifuna kuba yincenye yenkinga – ngekuchubeka ngemsebenti lodulile kantsi futsi lotawuletsa tinkinga letidvute naletikhashane emphilweni yetfu, emvelweni nase mumangweni?

Noma sifuna kuba bacatululi bentinkinga tekuphehlwa kwagesi sibe sibonelo lesihle? Sinawo onkhe emthulusi – umangabe bepolitiki bangafuna kuletsa lushintjo singakhona kuba live lelinagesi loshiphile, lofinyelelwa nguwonkhe wonkhe, lohlobile losita onkhe EmaSwati nalowo lasatawutalwa.

Labacwaninga temvelo, nomakanjani, batawu ncutfulisa lucwaningo lwabo kusti lomsebenti lofise kucalwa uyingoti kakhulu emvelweni nasemuphefumlweni webantfu kutsi ungachubeka.

Ngemunyaka wa2030 live lasEswatini lingakhona kutimela etikweni lekuphehlwa kwagesi. Sidzinga kushintja kucabanga kwetfu sibeke embili kuphehlwa kwagesi lokungeke kukhinyabete imvelo, kuletse imphumelelo emumangweni kuphindze kukhone kusimamise umnotfo.

Umbhali Dane Mathendele Armstrong & Khulekani Msweli