Ezulwini – His Majesty King Mswati III has highlighted the damaging impact of late payments by Government, public enterprises and corporations on businesses, warning that delayed invoices can leave workers unpaid and enterprises facing closure.
The King was speaking during the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards gala dinner held at Palazzo International Convention Centre in Ezulwini on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, where he called attention to the financial pressures facing entrepreneurs and announced that affected businesses could report late or non-payment through a newly available reporting line at the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO).
“A late invoice means unpaid wages and ventures that quietly close,” the King said.
The reporting line is intended to give entrepreneurs affected by delayed or outstanding payments a channel through which to raise their concerns, particularly where Government, public enterprises and corporations have failed to pay them on time.
The King’s remarks placed the spotlight on the importance of timely payments in sustaining businesses, meeting salary obligations and keeping enterprises operational.
He also called for greater support for indigenous businesses, urging large companies to welcome smaller enterprises as suppliers and partners. He said local businesses should be prioritised openly and given opportunities to participate in economic activity.
The King further pointed to the Citizen Economic Empowerment Act and the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Policy 2024–2029 as frameworks for advancing access to finance, markets and digital readiness.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in regional and continental markets, including the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He also highlighted potential investment opportunities in Taiwan, where a business community had expressed interest in investing in Eswatini and partnering with emaSwati.
Meanwhile, the King called for policies that would improve women entrepreneurs’ access to financing and procurement contracts after women accounted for 64 per cent of the 362 entrepreneurs who entered this year’s awards from the country’s four regions.
He said the participation of women demonstrated their contribution to the country’s economic future and highlighted the need for policies that respond to their business needs.
The King also revealed that businesses recognised through the awards over the years now generate a combined annual turnover of more than E167 million, describing this as evidence of the programme’s contribution to employment, tax revenue and business confidence.
The 2026 awards marked 20 years of recognising entrepreneurial achievement in Eswatini. The regional champions were Melane Leather from Hhohho, Notsa Eswatini from Manzini, Eli Olivia from Lubombo and EPower Hardware from Shiselweni.
The awards received total sponsorship of E2.241 million from partners, with First National Bank Eswatini contributing E2 million, according to the King’s address.
The King urged the winners to expand their businesses, create employment for young people and pay their suppliers on time, calling on corporations, financial institutions and development partners to support entrepreneurs through sponsorship, mentorship and access to supply chains.
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