His Majesty King Mswati III had done well to salivate a captivate audience on the new name to be given to the former Sikhuphe Airport.
His Majesty King Mswati III had done well to salivate a captivate audience on the new name to be given to the former Sikhuphe Airport.
The monarch told everyone in attendance that the name of the around E3 billion Emalangeni-worth infrastructure would be kept secret until the last moments when he cuts the ribbon to mark the airport officially opened.
He said even himself was not aware of the name of the airport because it had been kept secret from him.
When declaring the airport officially opened, the king, therefore, did not mention its name and this was also reflected in his prepared speech.
wondering
As the King left the podium and ultimately the arena, everyone was left guessing and wondering what the new airport would be called.
As exemplified in the Observer on Saturday publication yesterday, even cabinet ministers did not know the airport’s new name and their guesses were well off the mark.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Winnie Magagula’s guess was that it would be named ‘Swazi Skies International Airport’; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze thought it would remain ‘Sikhuphe International Airport’; Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jabulani Mabuza speculated that it would have something to do with Vision 2022 and so did Phineas Magagula – the Minister of Education and Training; while Minister of ICT Dumisani Ndlangamandla said the name could be ‘anything’ because it was close to the King and Swazi nation.
So, everyone had to await that climax – when the king cut the ribbon.
However, that was not to be as Minister of Economic Planning and Development Prince Hlangusemphi together with his Principal Secretary Bertram Stewart spoiled the party by prematurely letting the cat out of the bag.
This they did inside the marquee where His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, emakhosikati, princes, princess and invited guests were having a late lunch.
In the midst of the eating and entertainment renditions, the minister and PS halted proceedings and said there was a gift they wanted to present to the King.
“I am sorry to disturb you your Majesty, but we have a present that we feel has to be shown to you now. I ask that I be forgiven if I have done any wrong,” the minister said.
He then, with the assistance of the PS, held out a newly-designed kanga that was emblazoned ‘King Mswati III International Airport’ on the one side and ‘Africa’s New Promise’ on the other.
“The kanga is written King Mswati III International Airport, your Majesty,” the minister shouted jubilantly and everyone within the marquee clapped hands while others ululated.
“The minister has revealed the name of the airport, yet it is the King that was supposed to do so,” some commented.
“What is the use of the King having to unveil the name later yet the minister and PS have already done that for him?” others were heard saying.
Throughout all these, the inscription of the airport’s new name remained covered.
Just after 6pm, the king went to cut the ribbon and then protocol officer in the King’s office Khandlela Mdluli pointed the king in the direction of the building’s top part where the new name was inscribed.
exposed
Slowly the name was revealed but with every letter that was exposed, the majority that were inside the marquee during the minister and PS’s premature announcement knew what was coming.
Some, therefore, chose to enjoy the magnificent fireworks display that was staged concurrently with the name’s official unveiling.
The question that remains though is who named the airport after His Majesty King Mswati III because even the King did not reveal his identity. The King said the person came to him and said he (King) had given names to a lot of structures but this time the honour should go to him (mystery person).
The airport was the first structure to be named after the current monarch since his coronation in 1986.
King Shaka took longer than King Mswati III
While Swaziland was vilified by foreign critics for taking years to complete the King Mswati III International Airport, it has emerged that there are other airports that took much longer than the kingdom’s ‘jewel’ to be completed.
One such structure is the King Shaka International Airport in neighbouring South Africa.
Having taken 11 years to complete, the King Mswati III International airport is far from the 36 years that it took to complete the King Shaka Airport.
Construction of the King Shaka International Airport began in 1973 but the project was first conceptualised around1970.
By 1975, earthworks and a storm drainage system had been reportedly completed but the project was stalled in 1982 due to an economic slowdown at the time.
It is said the project was revived in the late 1990s when the limitations of Durban International Airport came to the fore.
However, disputes between Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Dube Tradeport firm stalled the project until national transport minister Jeff Radebe intervened to jump-start the project in 2004.
The project was then hit by a tender war between the Illembe consortium (led by Group Five and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon) and the Indiza consortium (led by Grinaker-LTA). Both consortia pre-qualified for the tender in April 2006; however, the tender was awarded to the Illembe consortium, with the Indiza consortium not being considered for failing to meet certain tender requirements.
The final obstacle was a delay in the approval of the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism until it was approved in 2007.
Construction then commenced on 24 August 2007after the approval of the EIA.
Construction progressed steadily throughout the next two years, with operational testing of the airport beginning in December 2009.
The airport handled its first commercial flights on May 1 2010.
Will Ngwenya-Manzini highway be expanded?
After almost 10 years since completion, the Ngwenya-Manzini highway (also known as MR3 Road) is set to undergo another transformation by being enlarged.
This hint is contained in His Majesty King Mswati III’s written speech for the opening of the former Sikhuphe international airport.
The airport is part of the millennium projects that were unveiled in 1999 together with other initiatives like the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre and Sports Centre facilities, factory shells, the under-construction international convention centre and five star hotel, and an amusement park.
“These projects were earmarked to create job opportunities for the populace and also contribute to the development of infrastructure that would change the landscape of our nation.
During the construction of these facilities, there were those who thought they were a waste of national resources.”
The king continued: “These facilities have exceeded their anticipated utilisation. This also includes the Ngwenya – Manzini highway which now has to be expanded due to the heavy traffic.
