Mbabane – The Municipal Council of Mbabane (MCM) has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming the capital into a responsive smart city that uses innovation and technology to drive inclusive economic growth.
Speaking during the 2nd Edition of the smart city living masterclass, held under the theme “Transforming Mbabane into a Responsive Smart City to Drive Economic Growth,” MCM Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gciniwe Fakudze, said the city’s transformation journey was about “a process, a mindset shift, and rethinking how we deliver services.”
“Transforming speaks of a journey of growth, innovation, and thinking differently about what we do as a city,” she said. “If it used to take ten minutes to complete a task, technology should help us do it in less.”
Fakudze said Mbabane’s smart city vision is rooted in using digital tools to make service delivery faster, smarter, and more efficient, while fostering economic opportunities for residents and businesses.
She acknowledged concerns raised by councillors and business leaders about the slow economic pace and migration of companies from the city. Fakudze said the city’s strategy focuses on reversing that trend by growing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), encouraging innovation, and creating an enabling environment for investment.
“Our economy is largely driven by SMEs, making up about 41 percent of Mbabane’s economic activity,” she said.
“But many of these businesses have stagnated for years. We want to help them transition from small to medium enterprises through intentional planning and innovation.”
Fakudze noted that while Mbabane remains Eswatini’s administrative and financial capital, the city must continue redefining itself to remain competitive.
“We anchor the country’s finance and governance economy, and we want to retain that competence,” she said.
The CEO highlighted three foundational documents guiding Mbabane’s transformation, these includes the Integrated Development Plan (2024–2029), which outlines the city’s priorities for service delivery and infrastructure, the Town Planning Scheme, currently under review, which will determine land use and zoning to stimulate business growth and create mixed-use developments that keep the city vibrant beyond working hours and the Local Economic Development Strategy, which focuses on youth businesses, innovation, and local procurement to retain money within the Mbabane economy.
“We want a city that doesn’t die at six o’clock,” she said. “Our town planning scheme must support mixed-use zones where people can live, work, and trade to keep the city alive and economically active.”
Fakudze outlined six strategic priorities under the smart city framework: digital transformation, infrastructure development, renewable energy adoption, economic diversification, urban resilience, and partnerships.
She revealed that about 80% of the city’s streetlights are now powered by solar energy, while new digital systems are being installed to monitor water levels in the Mbabane River to provide early flood warnings.
“Digitisation is not just about technology it’s about making life easier for citizens,” she said. “If you can get your banking documents on an app, you should be able to get a rates clearance certificate just as easily.”
Fakudze also urged local businesses to embrace public-private partnerships, noting that collaboration with the private sector was vital for delivering sustainable services and innovation.
