EHB Awarded Green Parastatal

Eswatini Housing Board received the Green Parastatal award during the Temvelo - Climate and Tourism Awards 2020 ceremony held on the night of the 25th November 2020 at the Happy Valley Hotel. The award was presented by the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Masuku.

Over the years EHB has actively participated in environmental protection initiatives.  EHB recognises that the business activities have both direct and indirect impacts on the environment and society as a whole, therefore, has a responsibility to use natural resources as efficiently as possible, reduce our carbon footprint and manage the impacts of property development and management which contribute to environmental degradation. EHB also seeks to enhance the local environs wherever possible such as the construction of the wastewater treatment plants.

Eswatini Housing Board was recognized for the following efforts in preserving:

1. World Wetlands Day – 2018

Eswatini Housing Board partnered with Eswatini National Trust Commission in the commemoration of World Wetlands day held in Hawane in 2018 through supporting the event with items worth E20 000. 00 (Twenty Thousand Emalangeni). This was in support of the preservation of wetlands and raising awareness on the importance of wetlands within EHB staff, customers and general public.

2. Earth Hour Commemoration

Since 2018 Eswatini Housing Board partners with Eswatini Electricity Company in the commemoration and observation of Earth Hour movement which is a commitment toward nature and our planet. The EHB supports the Earth Hour commemoration.  Financially, EHB procured promotional materials within the theme of the event worth E50 000.00 (fifty thousand emalangeni) annually since 2018.

Through environmental protection awareness and education through radio shows at EBIS SiSwati channel and VOC, EHB contributed to advocating for environmental protection and climate action by encouraginging EHB staff, customers and the general public to share ways in which they participate in commemorating the Earth hour and also sharing energy saving initiatives around their homes. 

3. Compliance and Environmental Stewardship
All EHB projects  undergo an environmental assessment before design and construction. This is done in compliance with Environmental Legislation such as The Environment Audit, Assessment Review Regulations, 2000, The Environmental Management Act, No. 5 of 2002 etc. The suggested mitigation is implemented for responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices such as the construction of Malkerns HMCS, Sithobela Health Centre, Lobamba and Tshaneni REPS wastewater treatment plants which were outside the scope of the Institutional Housing Project.

4. Waste  Management
All EHB tenants are issued with dustbins at the inception of the lease agreement and the EHB has waste storage common areas for ease of waste collection to landfills.

Future EHB Plans to preserve the planet

Eswatini Housing Board seeks to continuosly engage in activities that will ensure the protection of the environment by promoting day to day best practices around the home. The following projects will be implemented in the current strategic period (2018-2023) 

1. Waste Management Project - The EHB is planning to implement a waste segregation at source project in all its rental Estates. This project will be piloted at the MAtsapha Estate and eventually be rolled out to the other Estates around the country . 

2. Implementation of  ISO 14001:2018 ( Environmental management System)

During the ceremony EHB was also awarded 2nd runner up for the Energy efficiecy category.