Mbabane- The role of corporate leadership in safeguarding public trust will take centre stage at the Eswatini Institute of Accountants’ (ESIA) annual gala dinner and graduation ceremony, as the institute prepares to bring together accounting professionals and other stakeholders to examine integrity in business and government.
The event, scheduled for November 5, 2026, will be held under the theme “Leadership Under Scrutiny: Integrity and Trust Across Business, the Profession and Government.” Nkonzo Hlatshwayo, a director at Werksmans Attorneys and chairman of Nedbank Eswatini, is expected to deliver the keynote address.
Hlatshwayo’s experience in competition law, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory affairs and corporate leadership places him at the intersection of several issues facing businesses, particularly the need for accountable decision-making and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Adding to big conversations, Hlatshwayo has 25 years of professional experience and has advised major financial institutions and corporates, including Nedbank, Transnet, African Rainbow Capital, Access Bank and Old Mutual, on competition proceedings, acquisitions and regulatory matters.
His previous positions include chairman of the Swaziland Competition Commission from 2012 to 2015, chairman and partner at Hogan Lovells South Africa, partner at Webber Wentzel and director of Lawtons Africa. He has also handled cross-border competition matters involving African jurisdictions, including the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The choice of keynote speaker comes as corporate governance and professional accountability remain important considerations for businesses operating in increasingly complex regulatory environments. For accounting professionals, these issues extend beyond financial reporting to the standards of integrity, transparency and responsibility expected of those entrusted with financial information and institutional decision-making.
ESIA is the regulatory body for the accounting and auditing profession in Eswatini, established under the Accountants Act of 1985. Its mandate includes regulating the profession and promoting professional standards, ethical conduct and accountability.
The annual gathering will also recognise graduates entering the profession, placing professional development alongside the broader discussion about the conduct and responsibilities expected of accounting practitioners.
The institute has previously used the occasion to engage prominent speakers on questions of leadership and public confidence. In 2025, former South African Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng addressed delegates under the theme “Bridging the Trust Deficit: The Role of Leaders in Rebuilding Public Confidence.”
In 2024, Professor Themba Maseko, head of the Wits School of Governance, delivered an address on ethical leadership in accounting, while renowned legal scholar Professor PLO Lumumba spoke at the 2023 gathering on ethical leadership and sustainable economic performance in Africa.
The 2026 dinner is scheduled to begin at 6pm. Tickets cost E1,650 for ESIA members and E1,950 for non-members, while a table accommodating 10 people costs E16,000.
Reservations close on November 2, with bookings available through [accounts@esia.org.sz](mailto:accounts@esia.org.sz) or by calling 2404 5566 or 7854 1939.
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