Allow Mankayane shops to open
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllll
MANKAYANE – It is no secret that whenever His Majesty the King visits an area, this comes with development and great opportunities to generate income.
For this reason, in the rural town of Mankayane, nestled deep within the heart of the kingdom, a palpable sense of excitement is permeating the air.
The town is fervently preparing for the grand celebrations of His Majesty the King’s 56th birthday. His Majesty the King’s birthday falls on April 19 and it is celebrated every year.
It is not just an ordinary birthday of cutting a cake and eating lots of food, but it is also considered a major event that doubles as an opportunity for development and networking.
Anticipation
Amid the growing anticipation, however, a collective voice of local business owners is rising, expressing their keen desire for their shops to remain open for trade during the royal festivities.
Some business owners expressed concern that they had in the past been advised to close shops during the celebration.
“We are excited about the birthday being held in our small town,” a local business owner said. They, however, further stated that they were eager to maximise the potential benefits of such a prestigious event.
Journalists from this publication ventured into the heart of Mankayane, seeking to capture the unique perspectives of the residents and business owners in light of the upcoming royal event. The unanimous sentiment among the locals was one of enthusiasm and excitement, tinged with a sense of opportunity.
The residents reportedly expressed that every visit from His Majesty the King tended to bring a surge of development opportunities to the area, invigorating the local economy and infrastructure.
Observed
A similar phenomenon was recently observed in the town of Buhleni, where the King graced the annual Buganu Festival with his esteemed presence.
Post-event, the locals of Buhleni noted a remarkable boost in their economy. Shopkeepers reported a significant increase in sales, and the town itself benefited from infrastructural developments, such as improved roads and public facilities. While in Buhleni, the King also toured some major projects valued at over E850 million.
These are few of the projects that were inspired by his previous visits, as he had once declared that Buhleni should be a full-fledged town by 2022.
The once rural community is fast-developing and is also one of the towns now managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
However, the residents of Mankayane painted a somewhat contrasting picture when reminiscing about the King’s Birthday celebrations held previously in their town.
They expressed concern that officials had demanded that they should close their shops.
Disclosed
“This had a marked impact on our businesses,” a local shopkeeper disclosed. She stated that they should be allowed to operate, so that they could generate some income during the King’s Birthday celebration.”
Noteworthy, as the residents eagerly wait for the big day, the Mankayane Town Board has the task of ensuring that the town was clean and ready to host the event.
The event is not being organised by the town board, but a select committee that has the responsibility to organise royal events, including the King’s Birthday. Already, it was observed that some cleaning of the town was already taking place in readiness for the mammoth birthday celebration.