MBABANE – Voting for the 2025 Made in Eswatini Consumer Choice Awards has officially wrapped up with a record-breaking 213,000 votes cast across the country. Organisers confirmed the turnout this week, ahead of the much-anticipated awards ceremony scheduled for Friday at Brackenhill Estate in Mbabane.
The event, hosted by the civic organisation A Peculiar People, is aimed at recognising outstanding local products and services. The group’s chairman, Melusi Zox Dlamini, said the overwhelming public response signals a rising confidence in Eswatini-made goods and a renewed commitment to growing the local economy through consumer support.
The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry is expected to attend the event as Guest of Honour. He will deliver the keynote address and personally present awards to the winners, in a move organisers say adds weight to the government’s ongoing backing of small businesses and local enterprise. 
Gates open at 12 noon, with the formal award presentations scheduled from 3PM to 5PM — timed to coincide with the Mbabane sunset. The event is designed to blend celebration with a call to action for economic patriotism.
A standout feature of the evening will be the auctioning of Bagcini, a handcrafted centrepiece by Favourite Design Studios, which won the 2024 Consumer Choice Award. The artwork was created specifically for this year’s edition and will be auctioned on site by Eswatini Auctioneers.
Funds raised from the auction will support the production of a national “Buy Local” television and radio campaign — an initiative expected to boost visibility for Eswatini-made brands and shift consumer habits across the kingdom.
Organisers are encouraging attendees to carpool to ease congestion at the venue and reduce the event’s environmental footprint.
Tickets are available through smartticket.co.za, with media outlets, business owners and the general public invited to take part in what promises to be a landmark celebration of local excellence.
