![\"\"](\"https:\/\/genesisekucalenimedia.com\/edn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PAGE-6-Umhlanga-Reed-Dance-is-one-of-the-most-attended-events-in-the-country.jpg\")
The Ministry also provided mobile showers for the maidens throughout the duration of the ceremony.
Officials, as well as bus and truck drivers supporting the event, were accommodated and provided with meals by the Ministry for the full period of the celebration.
The report also detailed the Ministry\u2019s participation in Ummemo ceremonies hosted by South African chiefdoms.
Ummemo is a cultural exchange event where Eswatini is invited to join celebrations held in South Africa to promote traditional values and strengthen cultural ties.
The Ministry supports these engagements by providing transport for the Royal delegation, which includes Sagila Semnikati, Lutsango, Libutfo, Imbali, and government officials.
On average, the Ministry receives about 15 invitations per year from South African chiefdoms and has managed to honour all of them.
During the reporting period, Eswatini delegations attended Umhlanga in KwaZulu-Natal and several Ummemo ceremonies in Mpumalanga Province.
All delegations were commissioned by His Majesty King Mswati III, as part of Eswatini\u2019s ongoing participation in cross-border cultural cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry highlighted transport and hospitality costs as the most pressing challenges resulting from the growing attendance at national events.
\u201cDue to the increasing number of people attending national events, the Ministry is facing increased transport and hospitality costs,\u201d the report stated.
It further cited a shortage of government transport, which has forced the department to hire private vehicles, leading to higher rental expenses.
The report added that staff overtime, meal provisions, and accommodation for drivers and officials continue to strain the Ministry\u2019s limited budget allocation.
However, despite these challenges, the Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to coordinating and supporting all national and cultural celebrations, saying such events remain vital in strengthening Eswatini\u2019s identity and promoting unity.
The Ministry emphasised that cultural activities such as Umhlanga and Ummemo continue to serve as key platforms for showcasing the nation\u2019s heritage while also drawing regional and international attention to Eswatini\u2019s traditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Delisa Magagula The Ministry of Home Affairs has reported a sharp increase in the number of people…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,25,26],"tags":[46,39,73,40,58],"class_list":["post-4862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","category-national","category-swaziland","tag-africa","tag-entertainment","tag-eswatini","tag-festival","tag-national","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"\n