MBABANE – Thousands of energetic festival-goers gathered for the 10th edition of the Embiveni Biggest Braai: The Agape Edition 2026.
Held on Saturday, and stretching into the late hours of Sunday morning at Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre, the milestone event delivered non-stop music, smoke and spectacle.
While the braai fires burned bright throughout the night, it was headline acts South African Maskandi sensation Fezile ‘Feza’ Langa and Limpopo’s iconic hitmaker Makhadzi, who stole the show, delivering thrilling performances that kept the crowd on its feet.
Taking the stage at 1am, Feza Langa immediately set the venue ablaze. Flanked by his high-energy Maskandi dancers, the artist commanded the night with sharp, traditional choreography and a remarkable stage presence.
The crowd erupted into a sing-along as he launched into his popular hits, including ‘Umaqondana’ and ‘Sengithole Omunye’. Fans chanted every lyric back to him, demonstrating how deeply his music has resonated across the kingdom’s borders.
“Ever since the release of ‘Umaqondana’, my life has changed a lot,” Feza shared in an interview. “I have changed the situation at home and also for the people around me. As you can see, I came with my dancers, whom I pay so they can also provide for their families,” he said.
Feza attributed the success of his music to its relatable themes: “People relate to my songs because they talk about love. The way I write my songs, I make sure they connect with a lot of people,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude towards the Eswatini crowd, noting that the country feels like a home. He acknowledged Maskandi giants like Khuzani and Mthandeni as major inspirations for his career.
Following Feza’s set, Limpopo’s queen of dance, Makhadzi, prepared to take over at 2am. In a moment before stepping onto the stage, Makhadzi bowed her head in prayer.
When she hit the stage alongside her dance crew, the atmosphere was electrifying. Entertaining the audience with anthems like ‘Ghanama’, ‘Ma Yellowbone’ and ‘Matorokisi’. Makhadzi showed no signs of slowing down, even revealing mid-set that she was battling flu. Eswatini attendees were also treated to an exclusive milestone: Makhadzi debuted three new songs in the country, including an upbeat track titled ‘Tsotsi.’ Throughout her performance she calling out her fans to hype her up screaming ‘Izandle Emoyeni!!!’. At the end of her performance she said ‘Eswatini I love you’.
“It is not my first time in Eswatini; they keep inviting me and I can tell the love is genuine,” Makhadzi said after her show. “I would really appreciate being in Eswatini every week. Eswatini is my new home,” she said.
The night was also a moment for local artistry. Emerging artist and painter Hleliso Makhubu made appearances on stage to present portraits to two artists.
After presenting Young Zesh with a custom portrait earlier in the night, Makhubu returned to the stage following Makhadzi’s performance to hand her a striking portrait of her own.
Taking the moment a step further, Makhubu asked to dance for the Limpopo star. That gesture sparked a jam session as several local dancers joined in on stage, showcasing Eswatini’s talent alongside one of Africa’s stars.
The headline acts were supported by local artists, including Young Zesh, Thaifo Son, As 4 JerryP and many other artists and DJs, including Sgitha, Bandora, AyaCity, Zulu D, Culolam, Obsession and other acts that kept the event moving.
