MBABANE – The Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) has forked out almost a million Emalangeni in a single month to support various sporting codes.
The lion’s share of the funding was allocated to the Region V Golf Championships, which are currently being hosted in the kingdom. The prestigious tournament has attracted participants from nine countries across the region, including Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique and the hosts, Eswatini.
The ESRC provided the Golf Association with a significant E450 000 to host the event. International delegations arrived earlier this week via the King Mswati III International Airport, as well as the Ngwenya and Lomahasha border posts.
ESRC Senior Marketing and Communications Officer, Dumisani Ntiwane, confirmed that the competition is set to span the remainder of the week. “The opening ceremony took place on Tuesday. The tournament will conclude on Friday, and we expect all delegations to depart on Saturday morning,” Ntiwane said.
He further urged the public to show hospitality to the visiting athletes throughout their stay: “We would like to urge all emaSwati to give a warm welcome to our visitors. We are known as a respectful and peace-loving nation; let us market the kingdom in a positive light to make a lasting impression on the entire region.”
Beyond the greens, the Council has been busy financing international travel for other disciplines. Ntiwane disclosed that the ESRC spent nearly E300 000 on the Handball Association’s recent regional commitment.
The national handball team recently returned from an invitational in Zambia, a trip that required the ESRC to cover air tickets amounting to approximately E295 000. Additionally, the Eswatini Volleyball Association received E50 000 to fund their recent journey to Mozambique.
Reaffirming the council’s commitment to local athletes, Ntiwane concluded: “As we always say, we are here for our people. We will continue supporting our associations, especially those that are recognised by the organisation and eligible to operate in the kingdom.”
The Eswatini national handball team in Zambia, supported by a E300 000 grant from the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council. (Courtesy pics)