Beneath the rhythm of drums and the glow of the festival fire, it’s the local traders who shone the brightest at this year’s MTN Bushfire Festival.
The 2025 edition saw 133 traders generate over E10.8 million, with an impressive 87 percent of them representing Eswatini’s vibrant local business community. This was revealed by MTN Bushfire Festival Creative Director Jiggs Thorne.
Now in its 13th consecutive sold-out year, the festival continues to prove that music and art can be powerful engines for economic and social impact. Over the three-day celebration, the festival welcomed more than 23,000 attendees each day, transforming the quiet Malkerns Valley into a bustling hub of culture, creativity, and commerce.
For many traders, the event has become a lifeline. “Bushfire isn’t just about music, it’s about opportunity,” said one local craft vendor. “It gives us a global stage to share what’s made in Eswatini.”
According to Thorne, the global stage featured 499 artists across seven stages, showcasing performers from over 50 nationalities. Yet despite its international scale, the MTN Bushfire festival remains proudly rooted in local participation not only in trade but also in sponsorship, with 62 partners and sponsors, 76 percent of whom are locally based. Beyond the music and markets, the festival continues to deepen its commitment to sustainability.
Organizers reported that over 71 percent of 40 tonnes of waste was recycled this year, while environmental initiatives have led to the planting of more than 1,000 indigenous trees over the past five years, part of a long-term rewilding effort in surrounding farmland. “The social and economic ripple effects are significant. MTN Bushfire 2025 created over 1,400 jobs, both seasonal and permanent, contributing meaningfully to Eswatini’s cultural economy.
Around 5,000 festivalgoers camped on-site, turning the grounds into a vibrant, temporary village buzzing with music, food, and cross-cultural exchange,” said Thorne. “Online, the festival’s reach has continued to soar, with over 10.3 million unique impressions on social media in the 30 days surrounding the event, evidence of Bushfire’s expanding global footprint,” he added.
This blend of economic empowerment, creative expression, and environmental awareness has made MTN Bushfire a standout on the continent’s festival calendar. It’s a rare event that manages to balance international acclaim with authentic local benefit. As the festival closed its 2025 chapter, the message was clear: Bushfire isn’t just a celebration; it’s a movement that keeps the fire of community, creativity, and sustainability burning bright in Eswatini.
