By Bahle Gama
The Eswatini Biggest Braai continues to grow and is now attracting people from outside of the country.
This was briefly said by Philani Maswati Chairperson Lutfo Dlamini when he was making his welcoming remarks at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre where the 7th edition of the event was held on Saturday.
Dlamini said models and designers from South Africa and other countries in the SADC region graced the event which saw over 4 000 emaSwati attending for different fun-filled activities, from morning until midnight.
He was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku who was launching the event on behalf of Her Majesty Indlovukazi, who applauded how the event has continued to grow over the years in that it is being recognised even outside the country.
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Her Majesty expressed her appreciation towards the nation for supporting this yearly event which contributes to helping Philani Maswati beneficiaries, which are the elderly and destitute.
“This event has been seen growing every year, despite the effects of Covid-19 it has maintained its growth and Emaswati have come all out in ensuring the event is a success and what will be reaped by partaking in the event will allow for funds to grow and help Emaswati as a whole,” Her Majesty said through the DPM.
Meanwhile, Municipal Council of Manzini interim Mayor Mxolisi Mabuza stated that they have watched the biggest braai grow from strength to strength over the past five years and the municipality continues to support the event for its inspiring ethos which centres on improving the lives of the elderly and supporting the destitute.
“Through our long-standing relationship with Philani Maswati charity organisation, we have been greatly motivated to explore more sustainable and tangible ways of improving the socio-economic landscape of our city. To demonstrate this, the municipality has taken, with unparalleled vigour, the baton passed by Philani Maswati and initiated a programme focused on programmes and activities aimed at improving the mental, economic and physical well-being of the elderly in the city,” he said.
Mabuza stated that this was to give assurance that Manzini is indeed the perfect city to advance the Eswatini biggest braai’s founding objectives.
“In this regard, may I, on behalf of the municipal council of Manzini, express our heartfelt gratitude to the patron of the Philani Maswati charity organisation, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, for choosing Manzini as the host venue for this ingenious event and leaving us with the task to do more for elderly in our society even long after the event has happened,” he said.
He further stated that the impact of Eswatini’s biggest braai truly survives its one-day programme and prompts them to be proactive agents of social and economic change.
“We continue to marvel at the event’s proven ability to kindle sustainable growth in the tourism sector by stimulating domestic and international tourism. This sits at the heart of the municipality through its local economic development strategy,” Mabuza said.
He continued that when listing the unique selling points that make up the city’s vibrant atmosphere, they are always certain to boast about Eswatini’s biggest braai as one of their signature tourism events.
“In this regard, we wish to thank the visionary leaders behind this event for giving Manzini yet another dynamic and enticing addition to its wide-running tourism product offerings.”
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“Additionally, this event has proven to be a powerful unifying force for the people of Manzini. This is a welcome complement to the municipality’s efforts towards encouraging community cohesion which and, by extension, promoting safety and security,” he said.
The interim Mayor stated that Eswatini’s biggest braai presents a remarkable opportunity for citizens of Manzini to network and get to know each other so that they can establish neighbourhood watch initiatives that increase the levels of safety in our communities.
He also reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to spreading the good news about the event “to local, regional and international markets so that it may continue to be an instrument of sustainable change in our communities.”
