Mbabane – Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo visited the Eswatini Standards Authority offices to receive the organisation’s 2024 to 2025 progress report, presented by Executive Director Ncamiso Mhlanga.
The presentation covered ESWASA’s performance across financial management, standards development, certification, the Ingelo Certification Scheme, laboratories, human resources, international cooperation and future plans.
During the period under review, 43 standards were developed and gazetted as national standards for 2025 to 2026, spanning sectors including food and agriculture, chemicals, environment, management systems, occupational health and safety and electrical. A further 33 standards were harmonised from ARSO, IEC, ISO and SADCSTAN and are yet to be gazetted, bringing the total standards complement to 392. 
On certification, ESWASA provided services to various organisations across the country, including micro, small and medium enterprises, with 14 organisations certified during the reporting period. Three MSMEs were also trained and received mentorship from a consultant on standards under an ARSO-sponsored project.
The Ingelo Certification Scheme supported 24 participants during the period, with three MSMEs benefiting from the construction of production cottages in Lugongolweni, Mpolonjeni in Mbabane and Mliba. Construction is expected to wrap up in the first week of May 2026, with handover scheduled within the same month. A further 13 MSMEs have been accommodated in SEDCO estates, and 35 new MSMEs have applied to join the scheme for the 2026 to 2027 period.
The presentation also flagged challenges holding back MSMEs, including a lack of proper structures, limited capacity, slow progress in rehabilitating facilities and funding constraints that have limited the number of production cottages that can be built.
Khumalo thanked the ESWASA Council for its focused efforts and said he was satisfied with the progress and improvements recorded so far. He said demand for the Ingelo Certification Scheme is expected to grow significantly and encouraged the organisation to make its achievements more visible to government.
