BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Thulani Methula has been unveiled as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC).
Methula has been unveiled today, January 8, 2025, by Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane. The function took place at ENTC Headquarters in Lobamba. During the function, the minister gave Methula a challenge to ensure that ENTC was a company that was profitable.
Minister Mkhonta-Simelane also tasked the new CEO with a responsibility of improving the welfare of all staff members of ENTC. The minister believes that happy workers at ENTC would be able to produce the desired results for the company.
“As much as we expect you to turn around ENTC to be a self-sufficient company, we also expect you to enable this organisation to generate money for the country,” Mkhonta-Simelane said. The minister further told Methula to ensure that mutually beneficial relationships between the company the public were established.
The minister also tasked Methula with the responsibility of educating the nation about the importance of the country’s natural vegetation, including trees and other plants. Mkhonta-Simelane also emphasised that there was a need for the big five animals to be available in the country and be protected as well, stating that it was a responsibility of the company to ensure that such a thing happened.
Mkhonta-Simelane mentioned that children, the academia and other people would want to make use of the resources under ENTC from time to time. She pleaded with Methula to ensure that these people got the assistance they would need. Making his remarks during the event, Methula promised to work diligently, now that he had been unveiled as the ENTC CEO.
Methula said he noted that many people did not know much about ENTC and promised to ensure that from now, they disemminated adequate information about the company. Methula highlighted that as per its slogan, the ENTC would continue to be the fountain of culture and natural heritage in Eswatini.
According to its website, the Eswatini National Trust Commission (ENTC) is responsible for conservation of the Kingdom’s natural and cultural heritage as mandated by the National Trust Commission Act No. 9 of 1972; amended by the King’s Order in Council of 1973. The ENTC carries out its mandate through proclamation and management of national parks and reserves, national museums and monuments.
The ENTC is an independent statutory body and a government parastatal, operating at the present time under the umbrella of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment Affairs. The strategic and policy framework of the organization is facilitated by a Board of Commissioners appointed by the Minister in terms of the NTC Act and the Public Enterprise Control and Monitoring Act. The daily operations are managed by the Chief Executive Officer and four directors.
In terms of the ENTC operations, the CEO is the administrative authority with four Directors responsible for the various key functions, including Human Resources, Finance, Nature conservation and Cultural Heritage.
The Business and Commercial Unit is responsible for the tourism and hospitality services. The Commission receives an annual government subvention. The subvention is augmented with revenue generated from the tourism and hospitality operations
The Trust Commission presently administers:
- Swaziland National Museum
- King Sobhuza II Park
- Mantenga Nature Reserve and Cultural Village
- Malolotja Nature Reserve, with the adjacent Hawane Dam Reserve
- Mlawula Nature Reserve with Magadzavane Lodge
