MANZINI – The Municipal Council of Manzini is igniting a wave of enthusiasm in the city with an impressive E45 000 sponsorship for football. This is a sponsorship for the eagerly-awaited 12 Manzini City Wards Soccer Tournament. The action is set to commence this Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Zakhele Sports Ground, paving the way for a thrilling three-week competition. The announcement was made by Manzini city Deputy Mayor Wesley Dlamini, who represented the city’s Mayor, Councillor Goodwill Dlamini, during the official launch of the 2024/25 Manzini City Wards Soccer Tournament. This tournament will unfold over three consecutive weekends, as teams compete from the elimination stages through to the semi-finals and finals, with all matches taking place at Zakhele Sports Ground. “As the city mayor, and on behalf of all councillors, I am proud to witness the inaugural Manzini City Wards Soccer Tournament come to life. This follows the development of our new Manzini City Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for 2024-2030. During the community consultation process for the IDP, we heard loud and clear from residents about the need for sports tournaments at the community level,” Dlamini stated. The mayor explained that the tournament’s goals are twofold: not only to provide an exciting platform for showcasing local talent but also to encourage positive behaviours among the youth. “This initiative aims to foster sportsmanship and keep young people engaged in healthy, constructive activities, steering them away from social vices such as substance abuse, violence and teenage pregnancy,” Dlamini added. He also emphasised that the tournament is designed for everyone in the community. “I call on all residents of Manzini to come together, filling Zakhele Sports Ground with energy, enthusiasm and a true sense of community spirit. Let’s celebrate what is good about our city and make this event the first step towards even greater sporting initiatives.” Dlamini expressed gratitude to the Manzini Regional Football Association (MRFA) and the Eswatini Sports and Recreation Council (ESRC) for their technical support. Meanwhile, Municipal Council of Manzini’s Acting CEO, Zweli Maphanga, described the tournament as a significant milestone for the municipality. “It represents our ongoing commitment to promoting sports and recreation within our city. This event will lay the foundation for future multi-disciplinary sports initiatives,” Maphanga stated. He also revealed that, while the tournament has a financial commitment of E45 000, non-cash prizes would be offered to maintain the focus on community engagement.