Mbabane – Eswatini Railways has suspended its Assistant Director of Train Operations (ADTO), Bhekisisa Manyatsi, following a derailment incident at Sidvokodvo involving two locomotives.
The accident occurred while Manyatsi was driving a train, a responsibility outside his official job description. Sources within the parastatal confirmed that the senior officer now faces possible charges which may include the alleged unilateral hiring of 10 foreign train drivers earlier this year. That recruitment was challenged by the workers’ union and later interdicted.
An internal notice seen by this publication shows that Manyatsi was officially placed away from work starting 18 September 2025, with his suspension expected to run until 1 October 2025 pending investigations. During this period, Civil Engineer Thembela Shongwe has been appointed to act in his position under the Department of Operations and Technical Services. 
