SOMHLOLO, LOBAMBA - Bayethe, Wena WaPhakathi!
As the Ingwenyama Cup final reached half-time on Sunday, the atmosphere inside the packed Somhlolo National Stadium shifted from sporting anticipation to heartfelt celebration when His Majesty King Mswati III descended from the stands to address the crowd.
Before turning to football, His Majesty chose to acknowledge the mothers in attendance.
In a light-hearted moment that drew laughter and cheers across the terraces, he joked that he hoped everyone had brought their mothers along to enjoy the match and soak in the atmosphere on their special day.
He then went on to wish all mothers a happy Mother’s Day, transforming a football-filled afternoon into a touching tribute to motherhood. “As we celebrate our mothers, I would love to appreciate them for all the love and strength that they show everyone,” His Majesty remarked, prompting applause from spectators.
Turning to the cultural aspect of the day, His Majesty said he was utterly impressed by the growth of the culture competition that runs alongside the Ingwenyama Cup. “The growth of the cultural competition is very impressive and I am pleased by it,” he stated.
He added that Swati culture continues to project the nation’s talent to the world. “Through our beautiful culture, the world will be shown that on both fields our teams are well trained and their talents are exceptional,” he said.
The cultural finale saw the announcement of increased prize money for the traditional categories. Speaking through the voice of Prince Hlangabeza after the cultural results were declared, His Majesty declared that rewards for Sibhaca and Ummiso would rise from E65 000 to E110 000. Imbongi, the category for praise poets, will see its prize move from E25 000 to E50 000.
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Sibhaca from Maphalaleni won first place and also got a revised prize from His Majesty which went from E65 000 to E110 000. (Pics: Neliswa Sibiya)