MBABANE – Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Senator Pholile Shakantu says Mbabane’s ambition to become a smart city must go hand in hand with a vibrant creative economy capable of keeping the capital active beyond normal working hours.
Shakantu made the remarks through Eswatini Tourism Authority Board Chairperson Penelope Mkhwanazi, who represented the minister at the official launch of the inaugural October International Theatre Festival at the Eswatini Theatre Club in Mbabane on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
The festival will take place from October 1 to 3 and will bring together theatre practitioners, artists, creative industry players, partners and audiences for performances, masterclasses, workshops, exhibitions, murals and cultural activities. 
Speaking on behalf of Shakantu, Mkhwanazi said the festival came at an important time for Eswatini’s creative sector and could contribute to strengthening Mbabane’s position as a tourism destination.
She said a smart city should offer more than infrastructure and technology, arguing that residents and visitors should have opportunities to enjoy restaurants, music, theatre, arts, culture and entertainment beyond conventional business hours.
“A vibrant city needs a vibrant creative economy,” she said.
Mkhwanazi said artists, storytellers, musicians, filmmakers and cultural entrepreneurs contribute to the identity and energy of a city, making the creative sector an important part of urban development.
The launch also reflected on the history of theatre in Eswatini, from traditional oral storytelling, indigenous performances, music, dance and ceremonies to the development of formal theatre institutions.
Mkhwanazi said Western style drama became more established in Mbabane during the colonial period, eventually contributing to the establishment of the Mbabane Theatre Club in 1963.
She also recognised the contribution of local theatre pioneers, including Matiwane Manana, who established People’s Educational Theatre in 1989, and Modison Salayedvwa Magagula, who founded Siphila Nje Drama Society during the same year.
According to Mkhwanazi, such initiatives created platforms for local performers and audiences while allowing theatre to tell stories rooted in siSwati language, culture and community life.
The October International Theatre Festival is intended to build on that history by creating new opportunities for local and international creatives to meet, perform and exchange skills.
One of the festival’s major attractions will be the transformation of Dzeliwe Street into an open creative space.
The street, formerly known as Johnson Street before being renamed after Queen Regent Dzeliwe Shongwe, will host activities combining theatre, music, dance, visual art and community entertainment.
Mkhwanazi said the participation of the City of Mbabane was significant because of the capital’s long association with theatre and its contribution to Eswatini’s arts sector.
The festival programme will include 10 theatre productions and 15 theatre masterclasses, together with workshops, exhibitions, murals and the Dzeliwe Street Festival.
GEM backs festival
The festival is being presented by Genesis Ekucaleni Media, founded by Minister Shakantu.
Mkhwanazi said GEM was established to create opportunities for Eswatini stories, culture and creative talent to reach audiences beyond the country.
She said the organisation was founded on the belief that Eswatini’s stories matter and that local creatives need professional platforms where their skills can be developed and showcased internationally.
The name Ekucaleni, meaning “a beginning”, was also linked to the festival’s ambition to open a new chapter for the creative sector.
“It represents not simply an event, but another chapter in a vision that began with the belief that Eswatini has stories worth telling and talent worthy of the world stage,” she said.
Mkhwanazi also recognised festival founding director Larry Mhlanga, describing him as an experienced actor, creative director, arts manager, producer, choreographer and performing artist with more than 25 years of experience in the creative industry.
Mhlanga is credited with conceptualising the festival and developing a platform intended to connect Eswatini creatives with practitioners from other countries.
The festival comes as Eswatini’s theatre infrastructure continues to expand, including the recently opened International Convention Centre, which features a modern theatre facility.
Mkhwanazi said the new infrastructure would require quality local productions capable of filling venues, engaging audiences and bringing the facilities to life.
She also pointed to the importance of international collaboration, saying visiting artists would give local performers, directors and technicians an opportunity to learn different techniques and approaches to their work.
“Exchange is how we grow,” she said.
The launch brought together creatives, artists, partners, industry representatives and supporters of the arts, with organisers describing the gathering as the beginning of a festival aimed at reviving theatre and expanding opportunities across Eswatini’s creative economy.
