Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, has revealed plans to upgrade the seating capacity of the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre, which has become too small to accommodate the growing number of spectators during major events.
Khumalo made the announcement in Parliament yesterday while responding to a question from Ntfongwaneni Member of Parliament Nathi Hlophe, who asked whether government had any plans to upgrade or reconstruct the sports centre citing safety and capacity concerns.
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In his response, Minister Khumalo acknowledged the issue and confirmed that the ministry, together with the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA), was already exploring options to expand and modernise the facility.
“EIPA, which is responsible for supervising the Mavuso Trade Centre, has already approached the ministry and government to request an upgrade, as the facility has become too small for the activities hosted there. We are increasingly concerned about the limited seating capacity, especially after witnessing full stadiums during major football matches and this year’s trade fair,” he said.
To address the issue, Khumalo said the ministry would prepare a comprehensive upgrade programme including cost estimates and timelines, to be presented to Cabinet for consideration and approval.
“As we prepare the next national budget, we will make an effort to include the upgrade so that we can start implementing the programme. Once Cabinet has approved the proposal and allocated funds, we will return to Parliament with a detailed progress update,” he said.
The minister further noted that beyond expanding the seating capacity, the government also intends to ensure that the upgraded facility meets FIFA standards for international football events.
“Apart from the capacity issue, we want to make sure the stadium is FIFA compliant and meets all the necessary requirements. I cannot provide an exact time frame at this stage, as this will depend on the budget and the scale of the upgrades we can undertake,” Khumalo added.
The planned upgrade is expected to boost Eswatini’s capacity to host large-scale events, both sporting and commercial, strengthening Mavuso’s status as a national hub for trade and entertainment.
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