BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MALKERNS – With only two weeks left to the much-anticipated recognised festival MTN Bushfire Festival 2024 lets help you plan the three-day experience.
The 17th edition of the massive festival will be held at Malkerns Valley from May 31 to June 2, 2024. It is time to ensure you are ready to enjoy this globally infused, authentically African and proudly Eswatini multicultural gathering.
Once again, the festival will illuminate the transformational power of the arts through our call to action for positive social and environmental change, #BRINGYOURFIRE. A conscious celebration of unity in diversity and an inspiring emblem of social inclusion, MTN Bushfire represent the kind of world we would all like to see – a global community of change-makers, thought leaders, and creative problem solvers who unite in a celebration of the arts and in the spirit of taking action.
This year, festivalgoers are encouraged to sign up for MTN Bushfire Volunteer Day in the newly expanded UN Bring Your Fire Zone.
Getting to MTN Bushfire
House On Fire is located between Mahlanya and Malkerns on the MR27 road, off the MR103, about 23km from the capital city, Mbabane, and a short 14km from Ezulwini. Key in the following GPS coordinates – Elevation 756m – S 26’ 29.881 E031’ 13.110 to find us, or use the Google Map coordinates: -26.4981694, 31.2147246,16
MTN Bushfire Festival Weekend dates and times
- Thursday, 30th May: festival grounds open 16h00 – 22h00, for early campers. Vutsa Umlilo Opening Ceremony: 18h.30pm-19h30pm
- Friday, 31st May: 16h00 – 02h30
- Saturday, 1st June: 10h00 – 03h00
- Sunday, 2nd June: 10h00 – 22h00
THURSDAY SPECIAL: The festival grounds will be open to early camping arrivals from 4pm-10pm on Thursday 30 May. Early campers are invited to attend the Vutsa Umlilo opening ceremony performance showcase in the HOF Amphitheatre Stage, from 18h30pm-19h30pm.
This year’s festival tips
•Have your tickets and accommodation booked: MTN Bushfire sells out every year, please ensure you have booked your tickets and accommodation in advance. Tickets are still available on the official website, as well as a range of travel and accommodation options.
•ONE-WAY TRAFFIC ROUTE: the route to MTN Bushfire will be slightly different this year. The roads around the festival will be turned into a one-way ring circle, with motorists approaching the festival from the direction of Malkerns instead of Mahlanya. Please follow the MTN Bushfire road signs.
- Remember that in Eswatini the days are warm but the nights can be cold – pack accordingly. Remember your hat, sunblock and mosquito repellent!
- NO LIQUIDS: This year, the festival is instituting a No Liquids On Entry policy. No liquids will be allowed past the entry gates to the main festival grounds.
•Get your Wi-Fi voucher via the Howler ticket platform in advance so you can concentrate on capturing those great moments!
MTN Bushfire Festival App
MTN Bushfire has partnered with Woov, one of the global leaders in Festival Apps to bring you our 2024 MTN Bushfire Festival App. This app is the all-in-one event app for our festivalgoers. Through this app, you will be able to amplify your experience by connecting with others pre-event and get the digital tools you need to streamline your adventure. Link your Facebook and connect with friends coming to MTN Bushfire.
Download the Woov festival app now from https://woov.app/vjafqDbcC4T3zuF4A, Google Play or App Store and select ‘MTN Bushfire’. MTN Bushfire Tourist Data Packs
Stay connected at the festival with MTN tourist data packages! Order your MTN Eswatini SIM card online, pre-load it, and pick it up as you cross the border. Go to https://mtnbushfire.howler.co.za/…/mtn-bushfire…/tickets to purchase your package. Pick-up points for SIM cards are at the Ngwenya/Oshoek Border Gate, Lavumisa Border Gate, Mbabane Swazi Plaza, The Crescent Shopping Mall, The Gables Shopping Mall, Matsapha Lifestyle Centre, Manzini Lifestyle Centre and at the festival.
All Out Africa Campsite Operating Hours
The official All Out Africa festival campsite is opening on Thursday 30th May. Campers can check in from 11 am onwards. Campers arriving on Thursday are invited to attend a performance showcase at House On Fire in the evening.
Check-In Desk:
o Thursday 30 May 11h00 – 06h00 (24 hours)
o Friday 31 May 06h00 – 06h00 (24 hours)
o Saturday 1June 06h00 – 00h00 (midnight)
Information Desk:
o Thursday 30 May 11h00 – 00h00
o Friday 31 May 05h00 – 00h00
o Saturday 1 June 05h00 – 00h00
o Sunday 2 June 05h00 – 00h00
o Monday 3 June 05h00 – 00h00
•
Please note these arrival times and note that arrivals outside of check-in desk times will need to wait in the parking lot until the gates re-open.
MTN Bushfire is Cashless- Pre-Load Your festival funds!
MTN Bushfire is a CASHLESS festival: no cash is allowed; instead money is loaded onto your festival wristband NFC chip for in-festival purchases. Festivalgoers can Pre-Load funds onto their tickets via their Howler accounts.
Secure Paid Parking
Secure Paid Parking is available at the MTN Bushfire festival, for R40 per day, with improved security controls and safety for your vehicles. Tickets can be bought at the parking lot entries.
MTN Bushfire Festival Tickets
Bushfire tickets are strictly not for the purpose of resale. Do not purchase tickets from third party sellers, we cannot guarantee that those tickets are genuine or have not been duplicated.. If you suspect that your ticket has been tampered with or the bar code might be compromised please contact us immediately at tickets@bush-fire.com prior to the festival. MTN Bushfire does not offer refunds on tickets.
All festival information can be found on the official festival website: https://www.bush-fire.com/
MTN Bushfire 2024 – Border & travel updates for travelling guests
For internationals guests travelling to the kingdom to avoid border congestion patrons are advised to get to MTN Bushfire early this year!
With the official campsite opening on Thursday 30 May and major congestion expected on Friday 31 May at key border points, guests are encouraged to travel on the Thursday.
Official Eswatini Tourism Authority border information can be found here: https://www.thekingdomofeswatini.com/how-to-get-there/
- LEAVE EARLY: The Ngwenya/Oshoek border point will see high traffic volumes of traffic, so to avoid long waits we highly suggest you leave home early in the day.
- ROADWORKS: The road to the Oshoek/Ngwenya border gate has a number of ‘stop-and-go’ roadblocks due to road maintenance. Although average wait time is about 10 minutes, there may be several of them.
BORDER OPERATING HOURS:
• Ngwenya/Oshoek (close to Barberton and Nelspruit): open 24 hours
• Mhlumeni/Goba (close to Matola and Maputo): open 24 hours
• Sicunusa/Emahlatini (close to Piet Retief): open 08h00 – 18h00
• Sandlane/Nerston (close to Amsterdam): open 08h00 – 18h00
• Mahamba (close to Piet Retief): open 07h00 – 22h00
• Matsamo/Jeppes Reef (close to Malelane): open 07h00 – 20h00
• Bulembu/Josefdal (close to Barberton): 08h00 – 16h00
• Lomahasha/Namaacha (close to Matola and Maputo): 07h00 – 00h00
International patron are advised to take health precautions ,to speed entry, the Health declaration form can be downloaded from this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XX4Zch2djpqP41V98ZVKzZXAjSIlWQtq/view?usp=s haring
On the day of travel, traveling patrons should please print and fill in the form. Hand over the hard copy to a port health officer for screening upon arrival at the Point of Entry. This will help save waiting time and queuing for screening.
- YELLOW FEVER: Please check if your country of residence is on the World Health Organisation Yellow Fever watch list as Eswatini may require proof of vaccination upon entry if it is. South Africa and Mozambique are not on the list.
•ROAD TAX: The road tax for a foreign registered private vehicle is R100, payable at the border post.
•VEHICLE AUTHORISATION FORM: Please note that for those who still have vehicle financing, authorisation will be required to transport your car across the border.
•ENTRY VISA: You will need a valid passport to enter Eswatini. You may also require an entry visa. Please check with your Embassy or the Eswatini Tourism Authority website for visa requirements: https://www.thekingdomofeswatini.com/visa-guide/
PLEASE NOTE THAT SOUTH AFRICA MAY REQUIRE EXTRA DOCUMENTATION FOR TAKING CHILDREN THROUGH THE BORDER. The regulations can be viewed here: http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/statements-speeches/621-updated-advisory-new-requirements-for-children-travelling-through-south-african-ports-of-entry
