East across the valley is Swaziland’s largest town and its commercial hub, Manzini. On the way here, visitors pass signposts to Swaziland’s most famous waterfall, the Mantenga Falls, the thriving Mantenga Arts & Crafts Center, the Mlilwane Game Sanctuary, Matsapha Airport and the industrial area of Matsapha, which produces everything from beer to television sets.
There is an outstanding market every day except Sunday; dawn on Thursdays and Fridays is particularly worth a visit as it is when the rural people bring in their handicrafts to sell to retailers. Manzini’s only other point of interest is its original Catholic mission, an elegant stone building opposite the new cathedral; it is not open to casual visitors. Unfortunately the city has little else to offer and is polluted with reckless drivers, city slickers and an ever-growing crime record.