Mbabane – Business Eswatini (BE) CEO, Nathi E. Dlamini has urged lawmakers to accept their role as the primary designers of the kingdom’s economic future rather than as a passive legislative body.
During his presentation at the MPs’ retreat at Sibebe Resort, BE reiterated its increasing impact as a crucial collaborator in directing Eswatini’s growth trajectory.
Under the heading “The role of Parliamentarians in Promoting Economic Growth,” Dlamini urged the legislature to view its legislative authority as the cornerstone of economic transformation, claiming that each bill, policy, and discussion in the chambers has the power to either advance or impede Eswatini’s progress.
Dlamini proposed a winning, inclusive, and competitive strategy for economic growth drawn from four proposed laws and policies being: the Immigration Bill, the Employment Bill, investment promotion, and technology and skills development.
In the discussion around the proposed Employment Bill No. 12 of 2024, particularly its controversial Section 129, which seeks to outlaw triangular employment arrangements, Dlamini cautioned that such a prohibition would have catastrophic economic repercussions. Drawing on BE’s impact analysis report for 2025, he warned of the risk of over 20,000 jobs. Moreover, there are over E250 million potential severance costs, which might be disastrous for important sectors like forestry, agriculture, and security as well as a blow to small businesses.
“Parliament’s duty is to shield the economy from avoidable harm,” he urged, recommending that the section be reformed to regulate rather than prohibit such employment structures, aligning Eswatini with global labour standards and successful regional models in South Africa and Namibia.
The discussions extended beyond employment reform. Dlamini highlighted the symbiotic power of the Trade and Investment Promotion Draft Bill and the Immigration Bill, describing them as complementary tools for growth. He advocated for a forward-looking immigration framework that ties visas to job creation and investment targets, turning immigration policy into a deliberate instrument of economic expansion.
The conversation also probed Eswatini’s readiness for the future of work, with particular focus on artificial intelligence and youth employability. Dlamini called for urgent legislative and educational reforms to bridge the widening skills gap, strengthen academia and industry collaboration, and embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into national policy to ensure global competitiveness.
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