CANCEL MISS ESWATINI PAGEANT - MP MACFORD

MBABANE – The Miss Eswatini Pageant should be scrapped.  This was said by Manzini Member of Parliament Macford Sibandze, stating that the entire competition had lost its dignity.

Sibandze said in order to hold the title of Miss Eswatini, it should mean that the whole Kingdom of Eswatini was represented.
Sibandze made these remarks on Monday afternoon in the House of Assembly during the budget debate by the portfolio committee of the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, which is chaired by Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Simelane.

He advised the Minister, Harries Bulunga that the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) should ensure that whoever was awarded the tender to run the pageant, had all the necessary sponsorship for the eventual winners.
He said the sponsorship should for example, come with a year’s sponsorship of a cellphone which had airtime and data.

airtime

“You cannot be Miss Eswatini but not have things such as airtime or data,” said Sibandze.
He said if it were up to him, the pageant would be cancelled altogether because it had lost the dignity or high esteem which it used to have. He said the other pageants for example, like Miss Malagwane were fine, but that something had to give about the standard of sponsorships which were raised for Miss Eswatini.
Sibandze said the prizes should not only be for the title holders but also her princesses or runners up. 

Meanwhile, Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube said the pageant needed serious sponsors.
He wondered why the likes of Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (SMVAF) were not sponsoring the pageants, including the local financial institutions.

Lift

MP Dube said in one instance, he was driving in his vehicle when he stopped and gave a lift to a lady unknown to him at that time.
He said after they had engaged in a conversation, the young lady revealed that she was one of the pageant holders.
“I was shocked that the young lady had such a position but was forced to hitch-hike because there was no car provided for her,” said the MP.

He said even during events where they would invite either Mr Eswatini or Miss Eswatini as guests, the title holders were forced to use public transport to get to the various Tinkhundla centres. 
“We can’t have Miss Eswatini riding in kombis as this is not right for the position she holds as they are the nation’s ambassadors,” said Dube.
He said at the standard that the pageants were held, no one would join the competition.

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