Times Of Swaziland: SIGA ORDERED TO REMOVE  RED CARPET AT GALA DINNER

SIGA ORDERED TO REMOVE  RED CARPET AT GALA DINNER
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BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 25/11/2015 04:19:00


MBABANE – Organisers of the Swaziland Inter Municipal Games Association (SIGA)
gala dinner also had to roll up a red carpet which had been organised for their
event following an instruction from police who were present.
The gala dinner was held at the Royal Villas on Saturday and the keynote address
was done by the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.
According to the invitation cards, the event was a black tie affair where people
could also opt for traditional attire.
The organisers of the event, however, refused to formally comment on  the issue
as they believed that it was a sensitive one.
Guests
They had planned to pull out all the stops during the 10-year celebration of the
dinner as they had planned to light candles along the red carpet where the
guests would walk into the aisle leading to the hall where the conference was
held.
“However, the police informed us that we had to remove the carpet and it was
immediately rolled up and placed near the stage at the event,” said one of the
organisers.
The municipalities which were participants at the 10-year celebration included;
Pigg’s Peak Town Council, Nhlangano Town Council, Vuvulane Town Board, the
Mbabane, Manzini, Matsapha Municipalities and others.
Another of the high ranking officers who attended the event also confirmed that
the carpet was removed.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze
said the red carpet was only rolled out in honour of heads of State.
He said for any official government event where the head of state would not be
in attendance it was not allowed as well as during any other events.
Police also removed a white carpet that had been rolled out to welcome guests
and VIPs during this year’s Business Woman of the Year Awards.