BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI — Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called on the Southern Africa Inter-Municipal Sports Association (SAIMSA) to use sport as a vehicle for regional development, stronger municipal cooperation and improved service delivery across Southern Africa.
The call was made on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in a keynote address delivered on behalf of the Prime Minister by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Apollo Maphalala, during the official opening of the 2026 SAIMSA Games at the Mavuso Sports and Exhibition Centre.
Dlamini said SAIMSA’s 20-year sporting journey should deliver benefits beyond victories and defeats on the field by creating opportunities for municipalities to exchange knowledge, develop partnerships and learn practical approaches to improving services in their communities.
“Do not return home having only won or lost a sporting match, but return home having learnt something from another municipality,” Dlamini said.
He said the Games should allow municipalities to learn from one another on matters such as waste management, community engagement, infrastructure maintenance, municipal digitisation, urban planning and local economic development.
The Prime Minister said municipalities across the region operate at the coalface of service delivery, making the exchange of practical experiences particularly important.
He encouraged participating municipalities to return home with lessons that could be applied in their own communities, rather than measuring the success of the Games only through sporting results.
Dlamini also called for SAIMSA to broaden its reach across the SADC region by bringing more countries, municipalities and municipal employees into the platform.
“Let SAIMSA become an even stronger platform for regional integration, friendship and municipal cooperation,” he said.
The 2026 Games mark 20 years of regional cooperation and unity through sport, with Eswatini hosting the event for the fourth time.
He thanked the SAIMSA International Executive Committee for entrusting Eswatini, through the Eswatini Inter-Municipal Games Association (ESIGA), with hosting the 2026 edition.
The Prime Minister said hosting the regional gathering also created opportunities for Eswatini’s economy, particularly for businesses serving visitors and participants.
“Hosting the SAIMSA Games presents significant socio-economic, political and strategic opportunities for the Kingdom of Eswatini,” he said.
He also urged entrepreneurs, businesses and service providers to take advantage of the opportunities created by the Games and ensure that local communities benefit from the increased economic activity.
To the athletes, Dlamini emphasised the importance of discipline, teamwork, resilience, respect and fair play.
“Let us compete fiercely, but fairly. Let us celebrate our victories with humility and accept defeat with grace,” he said.
(Courtesy Pic)
