Court stops Eswatini National Provident Fund board inauguration
Business and labour federations challenged the appointment process, leading to an interim court order.
The High Court has issued an interim order stopping the inauguration and public announcement of the newly formed Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) Board. Labour and Social Security Minister Phila Buthelezi had announced the Board at SibaneSami Hotel just a day before the court order. The halt follows an urgent application by business and labour groups contesting the selection process.
The application, filed by the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBEC), Business Eswatini, and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), challenges the exclusion of two nominees and the appointment of Ministry of Labour Principal Secretary Makhosini Mndawe. Applicants argue that decisions to exclude FESBEC nominee Themba Dlamini and Business Eswatini nominee E. Nathi Dlamini, and to appoint Mndawe, were irregular and violated representation arrangements.
Applicants stated that an ordinary court process could take approximately three months, and allowing disputed appointments to stand could prejudice their interests. They received electronic notification on Tuesday evening, October 27, 2026, for an inauguration the following morning, leaving insufficient time for a standard review before the event.