MATSAPHA – Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Honourable Appolo Maphalala (MP), has thrown support behind a new urban development partnership between Matsapha Town Council and the City of Windhoek in Namibia, following a three-day working visit by a Namibian delegation.
The visiting officials from Windhoek were in Eswatini as part of a scoping mission aimed at laying the groundwork for long-term collaboration between the two municipalities. The initiative is intended to improve municipal management, infrastructure planning, economic development, and service delivery, through shared experience and technical exchange.
The mission included site visits to key economic areas in Matsapha, such as the Far East Textile factory and Kellogg’s Tolaram Eswatini, offering the delegation insight into Matsapha’s role as the country’s industrial hub. 
Minister Maphalala said the partnership fits into Eswatini’s broader goal of fostering international cooperation to advance sustainable urban development. He called for the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two towns to be activated in line with Matsapha’s Integrated Development Plan, with benefits expected to filter down to local communities.
The Minister also acknowledged the efforts of the Matsapha Town Council, crediting the leadership of the Town Clerk and elected councillors for their “visionary approach” to transforming the town into a model for resilient and sustainable development.
