By Fezile Mkhatshwa
The annual Choral Music competition, set to take place on 25 May 2025 at Esibayeni Lodge, has received sponsorship of E445,000 from Standard Bank Eswatini, Imisebe Foundation, Stanlib, and Liberty Life.
This was announced at the official launch of the 2025 competition at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini on Thursday. Sihle Gumbi, the President of the National Choral Music Association (NCMA), expressed immense appreciation for the financial support.
The Choral Competitions title sponsor, Standard Bank, injected R345,000 for the success of the competition, a 5% increase from last year’s R330,000 injection.
Standard Bank’s Eswatini Chief Executive, Mvuselelo Fakudze, represented by Phathizwe Dlamini, said that the bank is always happy to support initiatives that develop emaSwati.
He said that this competition has opened many doors to EmaSwati who then qualify to represent the country abroad through choral music.
Imisebe Publishers Director, Hlobsile Stromvig, pledged E50,000 specifically for the Siswati Choice Piece category. As a publisher focused on preserving Siswati through books and translation projects, Stromvig stated that choral music is a vital cultural vehicle. She encouraged the idea of an all-Siswati choral competition in the future.
“We know the rules that the government has taken when it comes to the issue of the arts. Today, the arts are no longer just for entertainment but are also a vehicle in the long life of culture and the Siswati Language,” she said.
Representing the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mathokoza Sibiya reflected on the growth of the competition from its humble beginnings at St. Theresa’s Hall to now being hosted at the spacious Esibayeni Lodge.
He credited this growth to the competition’s consistency in quality and professionalism, which has attracted high-profile sponsors over the years.
“We would like to thank the National Choral Music Association for running the competition professionally and with high integrity to warrant the continued sponsorship through the years. Through the competitions, many opportunities for artists and the nation at large open up, and families are fed,” he said.