Council desires to make Matsapha a liveable town, which can be defined by five fundamental aspects such as a robust and complete neighbourhood, accessible and sustainable mobility, a diverse and resilient local economy, vibrant public spaces and affordability.  Achievement of all these aspects then needs to be sustained. This, therefore, draws us to the municipality’s vision, which can be attainable if the 5-year strategic plan known as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is implemented accordingly.

The 2018 -2024 IDP outlines that the following strategic objectives:

1. Financial viability of the town
2. Infrastructure development and maintenance
3. Institutional capacity building
4. Social Development
5. Spatial integration

Financial viability is central to the municipality’s ability to meet its developmental needs, executing its mandate from government and meeting stakeholder expectations. In this context, financial viability refers to the ability to raise sufficient revenues, spending income to where it ‘itches the most’ and getting more value from available resources without exposing the municipality to extreme financial and operational risks.

The objective of the Financial Viability Strategy is to ensure that all other IDP objectives are met through prudently managing revenues, expenditures and other resources available to the municipality. The sustainability of financial resources and the proper prioritization of expenditure remains central to the viability strategy.

The Engineering unit forms the core unit of Council as it lies responsible for infrastructure development such as road works, drainage, lighting systems and other complementing services which are needed by the public for the town to function. Although much has been achieved within this unit, there is more to be achieved as the town continues to grow and as per demand arises.

The Institutional Capacity Development Strategy’s intention is manage and ensure a way forward towards the development of the town as the central pillar. It looks at the status of Matsapha Municipality in as far as its capacity to contribute towards the growth of the town and in as far as it pertains to achievements of critical objectives and national aspirations.

The Department’s anchor is in the Council’s Vision: i.e. “To make Matsapha a sustainable and livable investment town”. As an industrial town the focus of the town has been skewed towards economic development. The Department has; however, been established to normalize this and ensure that the environment and public health issues are factored into the development of the town. The Environment & Public Health Department is responsible for protecting and improving the health of the people of Matsapha and the quality of the environment. It aims at ensuring sustainable development by integrating public health and environmental issues in the development of the town.

During the 1980s, the town experienced a period of accelerated growth as a result of the relocation of industries from South Africa to Swaziland due to sanctions. Sporadic bursts like this have led to Matsapha’s physical growth being characterized by piecemeal and uncoordinated planning initiatives. Such growth has led to the need for Council to plan for the town in terms of land use management and control therefore ensuring that all developments in the town are in line with the town’s vision.