Times Of Swaziland: ‘HIPNOTIK STATEMENT SADDENING’

‘HIPNOTIK STATEMENT SADDENING’
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BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA on 14/09/2018 03:22:00


MBABANE – The Ezulwini Municipality regards the HipNotik founder highly!
The above statement was affirmed by Ezulwini Municipality CEO Vusi Matsebula
regarding the Swazi Jive Entertainment founder and Director Sakhile Nkambule’s
statement on the shutdown of the HipNotik Festival, and the movement of their
offices, which was released on Wednesday on his social media pages.
In the statement, Nkambule said as it stood, the HipNotik Festival was facing
opposition from the Ezulwini Town Board and it was highly unlikely that they
would continue with the festival in the particular region or anywhere in the
country.
Matsebula said he noted the statement, however, highlighting that he was
emotional when he penned the statement, which was allegedly written by him.
He highlighted that as Ezulwini Municipality, they implement the resolutions of
the council, which represent interests of Ezulwini residents.
Great
“I personally have great respect for Mr Nkambule as a young and enterprising
entrepreneur. I was greatly impressed by his ingenuity when he appeared before
the council to make a presentation on the 2018 HipNotik Festival.
“From the engagements we have had with him, we believe he was emotional when
he penned the statement that is alleged to have been written by him on social
media,” said Matsebula.
He also said it was his belief that from the discussions they had with Nkambule,
he understood all the challenges that marred the hosting of an event in a
residential and sophisticated town like Ezulwini.
“As the Ezulwini Municipality, we have always been for youth empowerment,
innovation and local economic development. We would like to advise Mr Nkambule
to conduct a proper and informed market research for an event that would suit
the Ezulwini Town,” he said.
Matsebula confessed that as a town, they were in dire need of such events that
would be embraced by all or bring together the majority of their residents so
that they could network and compliment the tourism activities in the
Municipality.
“The Council even has funds budgeted to assist in the planning and hosting of
an Ezulwini Day/Festival. We are more than confident that there is a niche for a
well thought out event that can be as massive but still accepted by the
residents of Ezulwini,” he said.
The HipNotik Festival was an annual event held in the country, mainly in the
beginning of July. The festival, over the years, had gained a huge following by
fun lovers, hip hop music fans and the youth. It has been one of Eswatini’s 
most anticipated events.