MBABANE – Local Choral music choirs are facing severe financial strain and logistical hurdles following significant changes to the annual Tiro Mpane Foundation National Choral Eisteddfod.
In a major departure from previous years, the foundation’s patron has pulled out from meeting competing choirs halfway with transportation and accommodation subsidies for the finals, traditionally hosted at Sun City in December.
Furthermore, the foundation has decided to stage the regional eliminations for Cluster 3, comprising Eswatini, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Zimbabwe, at the Mbombela Theatre in Mpumalanga on October 24.
The developments were confirmed by Sihle Gumbi, President of the Eswatini National Choral Music Association. Gumbi revealed that, in an effort to cushion local choirs from the steep cross-border travel costs, the association sought intervention from the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC). ENCAC offered to sponsor appatron agreed to host the Cluster 3 regional eliminations within Eswatini. However, according to Gumbi, the foundation’s patron rejected the proposal.
“We tried to negotiate deals with Tiro Mpane and went to the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture, who agreed to pay for a venue if the patron allowed the elimination to take place in Eswatini. We wrote to them, unfortunately, the patron rejected the request,” he said.
The withdrawal of travel and lodging support comes as a major blow to participating groups that have already registered for the competition.
The logistical demands of travelling to Mpumalanga for the October eliminations, followed by potential travel to Sun City for the finals without baseline financial backing, present a major barrier for local ensembles.
“In previous years, Tiro Mpane has been supporting choirs with transportation and accommodation, and I feel like this year they did not do justice.
“Even with the competition, Eswatini shines anyway, Eswatini is a shining province in this space. The reality now is that our choirs simply cannot afford to travel to Mpumalanga under these conditions,” Gumbi added.
Despite the mounting financial pressures, local choirs continue to receive high-level recognition on the national stage. The Tiro Mpane Foundation recently published the official list of participating choirs for the Great Champions category on its official Facebook page, which includes His Majesty’s Correctional Services Choir.
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