Mbabane – Mangwaneni is an urban area that falls within the legally gazetted boundaries of the Municipal Council of Mbabane (MCM), Mayor Thulani Mkhonto has said, as the long-running dispute over the area’s jurisdiction continues to affect municipal services.
Mkhonto said the Council’s position was supported by the legal framework governing the boundaries of Mbabane, with the municipality maintaining that Mangwaneni falls under its jurisdiction.
He was speaking on September 18, 2026, during the Municipal Council of Mbabane Annual Report meeting for the year ended March 31, 2026, held at Emafini Country Lodge.
The Mayor said the legal framework supporting the municipality’s position would be delivered on Sunday, adding that a court order had also been issued in relation to the matter.
The dispute centres on whether Mangwaneni falls under the authority of the municipality or remains under traditional administration through the Mangwaneni Umphakatsi. The MCM has maintained that the area forms part of its jurisdiction, while residents and traditional authorities have challenged the municipality’s authority over the land.
The administrative dispute dates back to 1993, when Legal Notice No. 125 of 1993 was issued to extend the boundaries of Mbabane. The notice has previously been cited in reporting on the municipality’s claim over Mangwaneni.
The disagreement has also extended to municipal rates and service delivery. Residents have resisted paying municipal rates while also raising concerns about the provision of services such as refuse collection.
The standoff became particularly visible in 2025 when the municipality stopped collecting refuse in Mangwaneni. Residents subsequently organised clean-up campaigns to deal with accumulated waste.
The municipality has also linked the dispute to construction in the area, maintaining that some structures were being erected contrary to directives from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The conflict has had consequences beyond refuse collection.
In February 2025, the Council stopped operating the Mangwaneni Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP), affecting children who relied on the facility for meals and other support. Reports at the time indicated that about 460 children were affected.
Residents subsequently approached the municipality seeking the return of the NCP keys, while disputing the Council’s claim over the facility. The municipality maintained that the NCP belonged to the Council.
The dispute has also affected the broader provision of municipal services and urban development in the area, as the Council and residents remain divided over the municipality’s authority.
The matter has attracted the attention of Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini, whose constituency includes Mangwaneni. Dlamini has previously called for a permanent solution to the dispute to allow normal municipal operations and services in the area.
For the MCM, however, the central issue remains jurisdiction.
Mkhonto’s latest position is that Mangwaneni is urban and fully gazetted, meaning it falls within the municipality’s administrative area.
The delivery of the legal framework on Sunday is expected to provide further detail on the municipality’s position and the legal basis it relies on in asserting jurisdiction over Mangwaneni.
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