Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH (At Somhlolo National Stadium) Highlanders AM…..(0)0 Ubombo Sugar……..(0)0  Highlanders won 5-3 on penalties) MBABANE – Mbabane Highlanders AM reached the PLE Charity Cup final on Sunday morning, edging Ubombo Sugar 5-3 on penalties to keep Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize’s side’s title defence on track. The ‘Black Bull’ required nerves of steel from 12 yards out following a tense, goalless draw, securing back-to-back final appearances after September’s 8bet Trade Fair Cup heartbreak against Moneni Pirates. Ubombo signalled their intent within three minutes when Siphamandla Maseko’s thunderous strike rattled the woodwork, giving Highlanders goalkeeper Qiniso Nyawo an early scare. Highlanders responded through impressive import Zwelihle Phewa, who demonstrated fine composure inside the box but directed his effort wide of the target. In a tight contest where clear-cut opportunities were rare, both goalkeepers spent the remainder of the first half largely untroubled. The second period saw Highlanders...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE – With approximately 50 public enterprises and parastatals already under its wing, the Government of Eswatini faces a fresh economic debate over the proposed establishment of another State-owned entity. This is the national mining company. The proposal comes at a time when the financial performance of some existing public enterprises remains a concern, with several institutions depending on government subventions to sustain operations, while the dividends generated by the sector have not necessarily translated into substantial revenue capable of financing government’s wider development obligations. Government has also recently established the Eswatini National Petroleum Company (ENPC), adding to the country’s portfolio of State-owned entities. The Times SUNDAY’s investigation has revealed that the proposed mining company has consequently brought to the fore a fundamental question about the economic viability of expanding the public enterprise sector, particularly into an industry requiring enormous capital investment, highly...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE – Eswatini’s Ntokozo Nkonyane claimed silver in the 42km race at the Kaapsehoop 4-in-1 Marathon in South Africa on Saturday. The promising long-distance runner produced an impressive performance, clocking 02:17:03 to finish second in a tightly contested race in Mbombela. Nkonyane narrowly missed out on the top prize by just six seconds, with South African athlete Pule Sibeko winning in 02:16:57. The race delivered a thrilling finish, as the two athletes battled for honours over the gruelling 42km distance. Sibeko eventually took gold, while Nkonyane settled for silver. Msawenkosi Mthalane completed the men’s podium in 02:18:29. Nkonyane, an athlete with EUDF, was among three Eswatini runners who featured in the marathon’s flagship event. Compatriot Bongani Jele also produced a strong showing, finishing ninth overall in 02:23:30, while Thokozani TK Dlamini crossed the line in 02:38:17 to finish 35th. Jele’s performance placed him...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE—Eswatini defenders Kwakhe ‘Stopper’ Thwala and Newman ‘Strong’ Philiso stole the headlines with crucial goals in today’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League drama. Thwala struck the third as Scottland hammered Herentals 4-0 to hit 68 points, slashing leaders Hardrock’s advantage to just two points. Meanwhile, Philiso’s Agama fell 3-1 to Chicken Inn, leaving them trapped in the relegation zone with 31 points from 33 matches. The title race blew wide open after Hardrock stumbled to a tense 0-0 draw against Simba Bhora, leaving the championship hanging by a thread with one game remaining. Hardrock features a formidable Eswatini quartet: Sambulo ‘Masoso’ Simelane, Thubelihle Mavuso, Yeki ‘Madumane’ Khumalo, and Neliswa ‘Tiger’ Dlamini. Notably, Simelane made his return to action as a substitute in his first match back following a length injury hiatus. These local exports join Sihlangu Semnikati for next Thursday’s high-profile international friendly...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE – A dispute over E411 053.80 in outstanding music royalties resulted in separate court proceedings in South Africa involving a company associated with entertainment promoter Phila Dlamini. This emerged in a High Court judgment delivered on Thursday in a copyright dispute involving award-winning musician Sandziso Matsebula, popularly known as Sands, ICON PB (Pty) Ltd and Kingdom Tales (Pty) Ltd. Sands emerged victorious in the High Court copyright dispute involving his debut album, Sands of Time. The High Court dismissed, with costs, an application by ICON PB (Pty) Ltd, a company associated with the entertainment promoter, Dlamini, which sought to be declared the owner of the album’s master recordings. High Court Judge Cyril Maphanga ruled that the company had failed to establish a lawful claim to the copyright in the recordings, despite relying on an alleged agreement reached during the early stages of...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH LOBAMBA – Three government ministries must account to the nation for the funds allocated towards youth empowerment and the fight against unemployment, Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini has demanded. Dlamini said the ministries of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Economic Planning and Development, and Agriculture should explain how they had utilised the resources allocated to them to create opportunities for young people, particularly at a time when youth unemployment remained a major national concern. He made the submission yesterday during the House of Assembly Portfolio Committee debate on the Prime Minister’s Office (Private and Cabinet) second quarter performance reports. The MP said the overwhelming number of young people who turned up for the recent police recruitment exercise should serve as a wake-up call to government that unemployment had reached alarming levels and that business could no longer continue as usual....

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE – Eswatini is set to introduce a National Customer Service Index to measure service delivery standards and help businesses identify areas requiring improvement. Dr Oliver Museka announced the planned introduction of the index during the 11th Customer Experience Awards held November 6, 2026 at Happy Valley in Ezulwini, where he outlined efforts to strengthen customer experience and service delivery across the country. The index will be built using data gathered through the customer experience awards research process, adding to existing initiatives aimed at improving customer service standards. Museka said the Customer Experience Awards had grown over the past 11 years from a recognition event into a broader initiative comprising the National Customer Service Week, an annual customer experience conference, professional training and certification. The proposed index is expected to provide another platform for assessing how organisations serve their customers and identifying areas...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MANZINI – The Eswatini College of Technology (ECOT) has challenged industry to become an active partner in training graduates, warning that the mismatch between qualifications produced by institutions and employers’ requirements threatens the country’s skills development ambitions. Principal Dr Sicelo Kunene said training institutions could not independently address the changing demands of the labour market, calling for stronger collaboration between government, employers, industry and development partners. He was speaking during the inaugural Lutsi Graduation Indaba, held at the college’s boardroom ahead of its 24th Graduation Ceremony, Conferment and Awards of Diplomas and Certificates, scheduled for Friday at the institution’s premises. Engagement The engagement was attended by the Minister for Education and Training and other key stakeholders, including the Construction Industry Council (CIC), represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Maqhawe K. Mnisi. Kunene said the economy was experiencing rapid industrial and technological changes, increasing...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH MBABANE – Eswatini is officially lined up to compete in the upcoming third edition of the Grannies Football World Cup. The biennial tournament will once again take centre stage in South Africa, following successful editions in 2023 and 2025. Eswatini’s inclusion follows the official adoption of the elderly citizens’ football initiative by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) today. The movement was formally launched at Sigwaca House by former SABC presenter and founder of the initiative, Rebecca ‘Mama Beka’ Ntsanwisi. Speaking during her maiden visit to Eswatini, ‘Mama Beka’ revealed that the global movement has already gathered great momentum, boasting 564 clubs worldwide. The competition is categorised by age groups: 40–49, 50–59 and 60–70 years. The pioneer expressed delight at bringing the initiative to local shores under the Mama Beka Ntsanwisi Foundation, adding that she hopes to have an audience with His Majesty King...

Play Replay Close highlight Stop listening ENGLISH LOBAMBA – Have men and women of the cloth lost their mandate, and could this be contributing to the rising number of divorce cases in the country? For Hhohho Region Member of Parliament (MP) Tanele Magagula, the answer is yes. She has expressed concern over the failure by some pastors to uphold the values of marriage and family unity. Magagula believes that pastors, who are traditionally expected to guide couples and strengthen family structures, are increasingly failing to fulfil this responsibility, particularly when some of them are themselves getting divorced. Making her submission during the portfolio committee debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ second quarter performance report in Parliament yesterday, the MP raised concerns over the high number of divorce cases in the country, questioning whether church leaders were still playing their expected role in helping couples preserve their marriages. She said...