Nearly half of police homes unfit
Royal Eswatini Police Service reports deteriorating housing and accommodation shortages affect officers.
Almost half of police residential properties in Eswatini have been declared unfit for human occupation, according to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). Health and environmental officials made the declaration during the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, which ran from July to September 2026.
REPS stated that deteriorating housing and accommodation shortages have led to officers sharing facilities, causing disputes and health risks. The service acknowledges that the affected buildings require urgent repairs or replacement, impacting officer welfare and operations. Planned repairs include work at the Police Academy kitchen and bat waste removal from ceilings at facilities in Tshaneni, Big Bend, Lavumisa, Simunye, Lomahasha, and Lubulini.
The government allocated E15.75 million for rehabilitation and security fencing, but REPS considers this insufficient. Additional funding of E13.125 million was received for institutional housing projects in Mbabane, Lubulini, and Hlane, with some units completed but awaiting handover. Financial and administrative challenges, including potential contractor payment delays, could affect planned policing programmes.
Why it mattersEswatini police officers face substandard living conditions due to nearly half of their housing being declared unfit for occupation.