Times Of Swaziland: MANZINI COUNCIL ENVISION 24-HOUR VIBRANT CITY

MANZINI COUNCIL ENVISION 24-HOUR VIBRANT CITY
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Nhlanganiso Mkhonta on 19/12/2023 17:33:00


MANZINI – “The future Manzini City that we envision is a 24-hour vibrant
city.”
This was said by the Manzini City Council Mayor Councillor Nozipho Dlamini
during the City of Manzini’s 2023 Christmas carols and night market event held
over the weekend. Dlamini noted that the night market day started with a flea
market, wherein she appreciated all the traders and buyers who have made the
flea market possible. “Without your participation, the flea market would not
have been possible. I trust that you have been able to make money so that you
make this christmas a memorable moment for your families and loved ones,” said
Dlamini.
The mayor stated that extending the flea market to the evening, was not a mere
coincidence as a municipality, they were in the process of introducing night
markets in the vibrant city.
She highlighted that as they as they recover from the drastic effects of
COVID-19; they constantly needed to innovate and open as many avenues as
possible to economically and socially empower citizens. In order to support the
24-hour operation vision, Dlamini encouraged more and more shops to operate
24-hours from the year 2024 onwards. The mayor said, as a municipality, they
strive to create a vibrant and inclusive community.
Recently, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched London’s first ever
24-hour London vision. This vision set out the Mayor’s plan to turn London
into a leading 24-hour global city, it focused on building a night-time culture
which; promotes culture and leisure for all ages and interests; increases
opening hours; ensures safety for residents, visitors and night-time workers and
works closely with boroughs and the police, to create a balanced and sustainable
night time offer. From the experience of cities like London, there can a series
of advantages or reasons of promoting a greater night-time economy;
1. More jobs: The night-time economy is a source of new jobs and new income for
the city.
2. Revitalisation of public space: It allows the revitalisation of areas and
buildings in the city, particularly those that are not used after a certain hour
of the day.
3. Safety: 24-hour cities promote citizen security. Why? Because–at least
perceptually–a street that is filled with people, feels much safer than an
empty street. For this reason, policies that invite people to stay outside, such
as expanding the hours of operation of shops, restaurants and movie theaters,
help maintain lively streets.
4.     Foster tourism: A city with a vibrant night life is much more attractive
for visitors. A city that offers 24-hour transportation, as well as restaurants
and shops that open late, is much more attractive to those who come to visit.
5.     Sense of belonging:  If managed well, night-time cities can generate a
greater sense of belonging. For these reasons, I believe that it is a good idea
to promote night-time cities.