MBABANE – The Municipal Council of Mbabane says it is turning the capital into a vibrant 24-hour living city where culture keeps the economy awake at night.
This was said by the Municipal Council of Mbabane CEO Gciniwe Fakudze at the official launch of the October International Theatre Festival held at the Eswatini Theatre Club on last night. The media launch, which ran from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, was hosted by the festival in collaboration with GENESIS Ekucaleni Media.
The main festival will take place from October 1 to 3 2026 in Mbabane.
The event was led by programme director Mdura Dlamini, who welcomed guests including Penelope Mkhwanazi who was standing in for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the CEO of the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture, hotel directors, partners, sponsors, captains of industry and members of the fourth estate.
“It is my singular honour to welcome you to the official launch of the October Theatre Festival, which by coincidence will take place in October right here in this wonderful city of Mbabane,” Dlamini said.
Before proceedings, Luyanda Zwane was invited to open with a prayer and a lively acapella performance. Dlamini said the performance was aligned with the theme of theatre.
“In theatre we express ourselves with our bodies, our minds, our souls. That is why there are no background instruments. It is not AI. That is how it works,” he said, paying tribute to one of the pioneers of theatre in the country.
Dlamini then invited the CEO of the city to welcome guests to what he called a lovely, vibrant smart city in Africa.
… City that does not sleep at five
In her remarks, Fakudze honoured the representative of the honourable minister and all guests present. She commended Dlamini for acknowledging protocol and praised the opening performance.
“Oh my God. What a voice,” she said.
Fakudze said Mbabane is intentionally transforming into a vibrant canvas of storytelling, performance and cultural exchange.
“For those who have been following the journey of the city in the past years, this is no coincidence. We are strategically and intentionally working towards what we term a 24-hour living city,” she said.
“The cities in this country sleep. We sleep at five. At six o’clock it is dead. Nobody is walking the streets. That is not proper, because a lot of things sleep when you sleep. A lot of things sleep in your economy when people do not have things to do at night.”
She said a theatre club is key to building a vibrant community that supports theatre, because theatre keeps people awake and on the streets.
“It is not just about being awake. Where the city is awake, the economy is awake. People can trade, vendors can live, kombis can transport people home. Economic activity doesn’t stop at five,” she said.
Fakudze said Mbabane is rapidly positioning itself not only as an administrative hub, but as a dynamic smart city that recognises that true development goes beyond concrete and asphalt.
“We want to be known as a resilient and thriving city that has a plethora of things to do,” she said.
She noted that some guests were visiting the Eswatini Theatre Club for the first time and said more must be done to create vibrancy in the club.
“We are very excited that over the next coming days we will have a hive of activity happening here. We invite you to immerse yourself fully in the gripping narratives, the powerful monologues, the breathtaking choreography of our talented performers,” she said.
She urged residents to continue speaking positively about the smart city and said safety in the city is not a miracle.
“It is not a miracle that the city is safe. It is not a miracle that we can have theatre going so effortlessly. Cities are thriving because citizens are thriving,” she said.
She thanked organisers, sponsors and all hands working behind the scenes.
“It takes immense vision, grit and passion to orchestrate a gathering of this magnitude. As the Municipal Council of Mbabane, we are proud to stand as steadfast partners in championing arts in this Kingdom,” Fakudze said.
“May this festival challenge our minds, may it touch our souls, may it forge lasting bonds, and may you go back truly understanding that Mbabane truly is a vibrant city.”
What the festival will bring
According to organisers, the October International Theatre Festival is the first festival of this size since the Matiwane Manana Arts Festival of the late 1990s, which was founded by Khethabahle Mthethwa at the Eswatini Theatre Club with the late Prince Masitsela as patron.
The festival brings together productions and practitioners from across Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and Eswatini. Artists will share stages, exchange knowledge and connect audiences through African storytelling.
It is built around four main elements: workshops, live performances, a street festival and murals. It also includes five creative pillars: The Theatre Festival, Murals, Schools Festival, Creative Arts Masterclass Workshops and the Dzeliwe Street Festival.
The festival has already created employment for more than 50 local theatre artists, performers, designers, trainers and production crew, while more than 100 creatives are engaged in artist management, stage management, branding, film and content creation.
About 750 local performers, emerging artists and theatre practitioners are expected to benefit from cross-border skills exchange.
Workshops and dramatic arts will be presented at five venues: Alliance Française, the Eswatini Theatre Club Auditorium, the Candlelight Room, American Corner and Yini Loku Gallery. They will be led by experienced facilitators from South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Eswatini.
A key component is the Schools Festival, managed by experienced theatre trainers who have worked extensively through schools culture competitions. Organisers said it is important for creating future performers, developing new audiences and introducing children to opportunities in the creative industries. Members of the schools drama association will take part in workshops and stage productions.
The festival will also bring public spaces to life through its street festival, with live entertainment, markets, exhibitions and murals.
Festival tickets are available on MojaTicket. The organisers are calling on businesses, institutions and development partners to support the growing theatre movement.
*For more information:* Festival Director Larry Mhlanga on +268 7820 6155, Festival Coordinator Nothando Khabako Mhlanga on +268 7604 1757, or Media and PR Adekunle Owolabi on +268 7659 3027.
Leave a comment