By Bahle Gama
In a significant move toward promoting sustainability and reducing environmental pollution, a Swati-based company has imported machinery worth E10.17 billion (US$550 million) for the production of eco-friendly bags.
The state-of-the-art machinery, sourced from global leaders in manufacturing technology, is designed to produce biodegradable and reusable bags that align with international environmental standards.
This initiative aims to address the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bags, which have been a major contributor to pollution in Eswatini and beyond.
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This was revealed by Greenland Eco Bags Managing Director Ezekiel Malenya during a press conference where he stated that these bags are used within areas of residence or ecosystem and environment.
He said that the company’s ambitious project is expected to create job opportunities and position Eswatini as a regional hub for eco-friendly packaging.
Local suppliers and retailers have already expressed interest in the products, signalling strong market support.
“With the global shift towards environmentally responsible practices, this investment is not only good for the planet but also a strategic move to capture the growing demand for eco-bags in Southern Africa,” he said.
Malenya said the production market for these bags is saturated because globally, as many know, these machines are costly, which is why it has taken time for the company to establish itself in the country.
Each machine costs about US$100 million, and talking about full investment, the company has brought in about US550 million in machinery.
He stated that the intention is to have five machines, currently, the company has three machines that produce about 10 million bags monthly.
Once the two other machines arrive, “we will be having 65 million per month, which is a big market for the country.”
“We will be exporting most of these products, which is a direct foreign injection into the country that supports inflation and other areas of the economy.
We want to also ensure that we have the raw materials manufactured in Eswatini.,” he said.
The MD further revealed that there are only two countries up North of Africa which manufacture these items.
“But we will have one now in the Southern region, which means that all the countries will be importing the raw materials from Eswatini. That will also create more employment for more people,” he said.
Malenya said as the company starts production, many will question whether it is ready for the transition from plastic to non-woven bags, “which we are because we are just replacing what has been existing with a different product.”
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He further disclosed that the company has spoken to all the chain stores in Eswatini including OK Foods, Spar, Pick n Pay and Shoprite amongst others, and they are all in agreement.
“We have also started making the product for most of them, which means, within a month or two, all the supermarkets will be having this product.
There should be no alarm because we have established, and we are running to ensure that we satisfy the whole country. Our aim is carrier bags,” he said.
Elaborating further, Malenya said the bags are recyclable and non-woven, which means upon being discarded, they will not damage the environment in that within three months they biodegrade in the soil.
“This means that the soil will not be affected as is the case with plastics. These can also be used up to three to four times and will still look good.
Even children are not subjected to choking or suffocating in the event they mistakenly put it over their heads. We also produce in all colours as per request by the customer,” he said.
According to the MD, during production, there is a by-product that comes out which is converted through social responsibility.
It is given to the women groups in the rural areas which they can convert to different products and generate income.
“We also give them training along with the raw materials for their products. We have also partnered with His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) wherein the youth and women who are incarcerated are trained by us,” he said.
This according to Malenya is to ensure that the government can do what others do in terms of saving funds through selling these items.
When they (inmates) are released from custody, they will be able to continue making a living and, in the process, keep away from things that can land them back in prison.
In terms of job creation, the company has already employed about 42 people and has not started full production.
“Once we do so, the numbers will be very high and we will have two shifts with each having about 65 staff members, which is almost 150 respectively.
We have emaSwati that will be employed directly and indirectly as we will be having agents and distributors who will extend the chain by hiring their own people.
The rough estimate is about 300 people to be employed at a community level,” he said.
Malenya reiterated that the company exists to put Eswatini on the global map, and the plan is to print as many colours as possible and increase production, which will in turn mean more jobs for emaSwati.
