Africa-Press – Eswatini. His Majesty King Mswati III has applauded the big numbers of Imbali witnessed during the first leg of the Reed Dance.
The king was speaking on Wednesday night during the launch of the 2022 King’s Golf Cup at Lozitha Palace.
Their Majesties received throngs of maidens for the Umhlanga main day on Monday at Ludzidzini Royal Residence for a beautiful spectacle that drew thousands of tourists from all corners of the globe.
Due to COVID-19, the Umhlanga ceremony was low key in the previous two years.
His Majesty applauded the different chiefdoms and parents for releasing maidens in their numbers and taking pride in their culture, instilling it for preservation in the future generation. He emphasised on the importance of the cultural event which has a rich history dating back a hundred years.
“We gather here shortly after a very successful Umhlanga ceremony, where maidens turned up in numbers. The event had also been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, but we are happy that the cultural spectacle has returned in full force and the young girls loved it as witnessed in their courage and high spirits,” he said.
During the launch, His Majesty received E1 950 000 in sponsorships for the tournament from Eswatini Royal Insurance corporation (ESRIC), MTN Eswatini, Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) and Nedbank.
Thousands of maidens are expected to converge for the Shiselweni Reed Dance, which begins today at Mbangweni Royal Residence.
The 16th edition of the country’s biggest Pro–Am tournament saw 80 armature golfers take to the greens yesterday with 40 professionals expected to tee-off today.
“We thank the organising committee for working tirelessly in putting together the 2022 event. It is pleasing to note that golfers have maintained their health and fitness despite being locked down for over a year,” he said.
Introducing the king, Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini said the return of the tournament marked the end of a difficult period that includes the COVID-19 that threatened to plunge the tourism industry.
“Golf as a sport is associated with tourism and we appreciate the different sponsors for coming through despite the global economic meltdown and most importantly, with an improved package,” Dlamini said.
The king was joined by the PM, Royalty, Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Moses Vilakati and the King’s Golf Cup organising committee, among others, in launching the historic tournament.
Speaking about the tournament, the king reaffirmed the tourism sector’s key role in the country’s economy, saying that for countries like Eswatini and many others, tourism was the second highest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He applauded Emaswati for opening up their guesthouses for tourists during the Umhlanga ceremony.
“We were dealt a cruel blow to the tourism businesses which were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of tourists visiting the country dropped drastically,” he said.
The king added that at the peak of the pandemic, many countries imposed travel restrictions and shutdowns which led to tourists’ movements being curtailed.
“As a result, some tourists’ attractions had to close, including the Royal Swazi Sun Hotel where the King’s Golf Cup is held annually. Despite the hotel remaining closed, it is comforting that the golf course has been allowed to operate which helped keep it well maintained.”
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