MBABANE – The country is set to suffer a massive economic setback as immigration employees, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, give government a five-day ultimatum. The ultimatum hinges on the threat of disrupting the 14 ports of entry operations in the country if their demands are not met. The 14 ports of entry are: Ngwenya, Matsamo, Mananga, Mahamba, Lavumisa and Bulembu. There is also Lundzi, Sicunusa, Gege, Sandlane, Bulembu, King Mswati International Airport, Lomahasha and Mhlumeni.These ports of entry are key to the economy, as Eswatini is a landlocked country and imports and also exports a larger chunk of goods and services. Also, these ports of entry into the Kingdom of Eswatini are major players in the country’s economy, as they are a gateway to facilitating trade with regional countries and also those within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Countries within SACU share a pool of resources generated...

MBABANE – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has ruled that Sipho Tsabedze, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, must retire from the civil service within two weeks. This decision follows an enquiry by the CSC into the principal secretary’s (PS) date of birth. Discrepancies were allegedly found between the date of birth recorded on his blue form (used for government employment) and his appraisal documents, with three different birthdates (1963, 1965 and 1967) appearing in official records.The CSC concluded that the PS’ official retirement date is February 3, 2025.   In coming to the conclusion, the CSC cited court judgments and a circular which clearly states that the birth of date for a civil servant to be considered as that of retirement is the one that appears on the blue form. The enquiry was initiated to determine the accurate retirement date of Tsabedze, after there was a dispute in...

MBABANE – Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini might have rightfully appointed a task team to assist in the fight against corruption, but its composition has come into question. This time around, the question relates to the inclusion of the acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lomvula Hlophe. While the team was appointed in February last year, there has been an ongoing debate about whether her inclusion in the team does not breach the provisions of the Constitution of 2005, which details how her office is supposed to conduct its operations. The tripartite committee, known as the Anti-corruption Task Team was appointed by the PM in February last year to enhance the fight against corruption. Besides the acting DPP, it comprises the national commissioner (NATCOM) of police and the acting commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Some of those who are questioning Hlophe’s inclusion are of the view that by virtue...

MBABANE – The mysterious disappearance of Sakhile ‘Oros’ Msibi, believed to have murdered by high-profile people in Eswatini, has taken a remarkable twist. Putting to rest slander and false information surrounding the disappearance of ‘Oros’, the Times SUNDAY can reveal that he is very much alive. The enigmatic case dates back to 2018, when ‘Oros’ vanished without a trace.Monty Nkosi, residing in the United States, has made explosive claims on social media, alleging that ‘Oros’ was not only kidnapped, but ruthlessly murdered on the orders of a prominent figure. On a regular basis, Monty posts a video clip on his Facebook page where he accuses prominent people in the country of kidnapping and killing Oros. This has led to other people to believe that he was indeed murdered. A facebooker posted a message on November 14, 2024 reads: “On a serious note, friends, comrades, foes, what really happened to the...

MBABANE – Allegedly on the instruction of the Municipal Council of Mbabane (MCM), security guards demolished Samkeliso Gama’s two houses at PTS. This is reportedly Source link

MBABANE – Due to unavailability of adequate cash to settle tax debts, a court order has been issued to attach cattle for company directors. The deputy sheriff has been instructed to ensure that the cattle belonging to the directors of Kinalimodise Investment (PTY) LTD are attached to settle a debt owed to Eswatini Revenue Srvices (ERS). The company, according to court papers, is registered in Siphofaneni in the Lubombo Region. On the strength of the court documents, the directors are domiciled in Siphofaneni. The attachment of cattle by a public enterprise may be viewed in some quarters as rare, but it happened in the early 1990s. The then SwaziBank, now EswatiniBank, under the leadership of the late Sam Kuhlase, launched what to be later known as the infamous grab-a-cow debt recovery programme. Debt collectors led by the late Deputy Sheriff, Maswazi Sibandze, repossessed anything valuable from defaulters, including cattle, goats,...

Mbabane, Eswatini — As Mozambique grapples with a political crisis following a disputed national election and violent protests, the situation at its southern border with South Africa is increasingly volatile, affecting trade and travel. The violence in Mozambique forced trade and travel to be diverted from South Africa’s Leebombo Border Post to Eswatini’s Mananga Border Post, with Mananga serving as a makeshift lifeline for those seeking passage from Mozambique. Michael Masiapato, commissioner of South Africa’s Border Management Authority, told VOA that although authorities are managing the crisis, it continues to pose significant challenges. “Even … when they deploy the military and when they deploy police officers on the corridor [between the capital, Maputo, and the border], it is not able to cover each and every area,” he said. The protests, he said, are “very much sporadic” and “very much widespread.” Following presidential candidate Daniel Chapo’s controversial election victory Monday, Mozambique...

MBABANE – The Eswatini Competition Commission has urged parents to report schools that compel them to purchase school uniforms from suppliers chosen by the school, instead of allowing parents to choose their own. This call comes after numerous complaints from parents about schools continuing to enforce the purchase of uniforms from their preferred suppliers. Also, it is worth stating that the complaints were raised by parents preparing of the school reopenings which is set on January 28, 2025. Notably, this resistance by some schools persists despite the Ministry of Education and Training issuing Circular 10 of 2017. Education The circular expressed concern about the escalating cost of education in the country, making it increasingly difficult for parents and sponsors to afford educational expenses. The circular identified the cost of school uniforms and other related expenses as significant contributors to this issue. The circular specifically addressed the issue of schools entering...

Mbabane — The southern African nation of Eswatini has secured continued eligibility for benefits under the U.S African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for the 39 companies currently trading under AGOA, including some of Eswatini’s biggest brands. U.S. Trade Representative spokesman Sam Michel confirmed Eswatini’s eligibility in late December. Eswatini’s exclusion from the trade agreement in 2015 followed the country’s failure to meet benchmarks for democratization and respect for human rights and highlighted how the country’s political situation negatively impacted the country’s economy. In a written statement issued on December 21, U.S. Trade Representative spokesman Sam Michel said the decision to continue Eswatini’s participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act was based on an annual AGOA eligibility review, which concluded that the list of eligible and ineligible countries will remain unchanged for 2025. Eswatini, an AGOA member for 23 years, exported some $23.5 million worth of goods in 2022....

MBABANE – A security officer stationed at  King Mswati III International Airport is on the run after being caught on camera stealing over E75 000 from a businessman.King Mswati III (KMIII) International Airport is located at Sikhuphe, 50 kilometres from Manzini. The employee was an Airline Aviation Security (AVSEC) officer and he was reportedly caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV), stealing the amount of over E75 000 from a Nigerian businessman, who had failed to declare the currency. This was after the businessman, Nwanji Marcelinus Onyebuchi (37), had entered the airport without declaring his money. It was gathered that the businessman had not declared the amount of US$10 342, which is equivalent to E186 170. Screening The undeclared money was said to have been discovered during security screening, which resulted in him being detained. When he was released in order to appear at Siteki Magistrates Court, Onyebuchi was said to have...