BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MBABANE– Imagine leaving your home and being able to reach your workplace, a supermarket, a pharmacy, a restaurant, a school or even a park within just 15 minutes. This is the future Eswatini is pursuing through the 15-minute city concept, an urban planning approach that aims to make communities more convenient, liveable and sustainable.
The concept was highlighted by Minister of Housing and Urban Development Apollo Maphalala during the official opening of KFC Eswatini’s 15th branch at Woodlands on Friday, July 10, 2026, where he said the country is gradually shifting away from the traditional model of centralised business districts towards integrated communities where residents can access essential services closer to where they live.
Maphalala explained that the 15-minute city concept encourages the development of communities where residents can access essential services, retail outlets, workplaces and recreational facilities within a short distance from their homes.
“There is this concept that we are now pursuing, the 15-minute city. Within 15 minutes, you should be able to access everything that you need,” he said.
He said the approach seeks to reduce the need for residents to travel long distances into central business districts for everyday needs, while creating cities that are more resilient, sustainable and people-centred.
“We are no longer preaching central business districts. We are preaching 15-minute cities,” said Maphalala.
The minister said the development of commercial centres alongside residential estates is critical in creating urban spaces that respond to the changing needs of communities.
He noted that as residential developments continue to grow, particularly around areas such as Mbabane’s northern corridor, businesses should be established within these communities to provide convenience and improve quality of life.
“It is very essential that you have all of these commercial centres developing along with the residential estates so that we don’t all cram into what we used to call the CBD, so that our cities may be liveable, our cities may be resilient and our cities may be sustainable,” he said.
The 15-minute city concept is an urban planning model where residents can access their daily necessities—including work opportunities, groceries, healthcare, education and leisure activities—within a 15-minute walk or bicycle ride from their homes.
The concept prioritises local accessibility over long commutes and dependence on private vehicles, with the aim of improving quality of life by creating vibrant, self-sufficient and human-centred neighbourhoods.
Pioneered by urbanist Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne University in Paris, the concept seeks to decentralise urban life by bringing residential, commercial and social activities closer together. It challenges the traditional planning approach that separated residential areas from workplaces and commercial zones.
The model is built around six key pillars: Living, which focuses on diverse and affordable housing; Work, which promotes local employment hubs; Supply, which ensures access to shops and fresh food; Care, which brings healthcare services closer to communities; Learn, which supports accessible education facilities; and Enjoy, which encourages green spaces, parks and cultural venues for leisure.
Maphalala said partnerships between government, municipalities and private investors remain important in achieving this type of urban transformation.
He described cities as places where people come together to create value, saying the collaboration between Alliance Foods, PSPF, Eswatini Housing Board and other stakeholders at Woodlands demonstrates how partnerships can deliver developments that benefit communities.
“A city is a place where people meet other people to create value. That is exactly what you have done here. PSPF, EHB and KFC Alliance, you have all met to create value. This is now value for all of us,” he said.
The minister added that developments such as the Woodlands commercial precinct contribute beyond convenience, as they attract investment, create employment opportunities and strengthen municipal finances through increased commercial activity and property rates.
He also revealed that more services are expected in the area, including a planned Clicks outlet, further expanding access to essential goods and services.
“I hear there’s some Clicks coming, so within 15 minutes you should be able to get your KFC, get to Clicks and get to whatever other centre where you need your commodities,” he said.
Maphalala further encouraged emaSwati to protect the country’s growing urban infrastructure by maintaining clean public spaces.
“There is no such thing as throwing things away because ‘away’ is somewhere. We need to adopt a culture of keeping our surroundings clean so that we keep them good-looking and very clean,” he said.
As Eswatini continues to invest in housing, infrastructure and commercial developments, the 15-minute city concept represents a move towards more connected, convenient and sustainable communities.
The approach places residents at the centre of development by bringing services, opportunities and economic activity closer to home while supporting the Kingdom’s vision of modern, resilient urban growth.
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