THE SHISELWENI REGION
The Shiselweni area runs across Swaziland's southern section. The main town of Nhlangano (previously Goedgegun) began as a centre for buying and selling farming supplies and farm produce during the 1920s, when the colonial government bought the Farm Goedgegun from one G.M. Rudolph.
In 1947, Britain's King George VI, together with Queen Elizabeth and the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, met King Sobhuza II there to thank him for the Swazi war effort. The town was subsequently renamed Nhlangano, which means meeting place, to commemorate the event. About 28 km north of Nhlangano is the picturesque village of Hlathikhulu, where the breathtaking Grand Valley begins. (See Scenic Route 5, Rural Grandeur page ……).
The Phumula Farm Guest House is just outside Nhlangano off the road to the Mahamba border. This is set
in a tranquil garden ambience and is an ideal place to stay, offering visitors a variety of amenities.
Christianity in Swaziland
The Shiselweni Region was one of the first areas in Swaziland to embrace Christianity when the first missionaries, the Methodist Wesleyan Mission, settled in the area in 1844. The Reverend J. Allison also built a school at Sankolweni, believed to be the first in Swaziland that was later moved to Mahamba where it remains today. On the way to the Mahamba Gorge between Nhlangano and the Mahamba border is a Gothic style Methodist church that was built in 1912 and is the oldest intact place of worship in the country. EU funding has restored and preserved this wonderful piece of Swaziland's history and a display board inside the church outlines the establishment of Christianity in Swaziland.