BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
LOBAMBA – Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Senator Prince Simelane has called for the establishment of a local version of South Africa’s Madlanga Commission, warning that corruption has deeply penetrated Eswatini’s institutions including the justice system itself.
The Minister made the remarks on April 21, 2026, during the debate on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommendations, where lawmakers raised growing concern over the lack of arrests despite widespread allegations of corruption.
“We need our own ‘Madlanga Commission’ to investigate all alleged corrupt institutions and individuals,” he told Parliament, stressing that existing mechanisms were no longer sufficient to deal with the scale of the problem.
Notably, this is not the first time Prince Simelane has made such a call. He previously raised the need for a “Madlanga Commission” and an equivalent of Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last month during the presentation of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs’ annual performance report and budget before the Senate Portfolio Committee.
The minister further appealed to Parliament to urgently pass laws that would strengthen accountability across public administration, saying corruption had become increasingly difficult to eradicate.
His comments come amid mounting frustration from Members of Parliament, who questioned why individuals implicated in corruption particularly in critical sectors such as health , have not yet been brought to book.
Mtfongwaneni MP Nathi Hlophe challenged government to move beyond identifying problems and take decisive action.
“When will the country witness arrests?” Hlophe asked, warning that continued inaction risks eroding public trust in Parliament’s ability to hold wrongdoers accountable.
Adding to the concerns, Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini revealed that while Eswatini has financial resources, significant amounts are being lost through internal theft within government.
“There is money in this country, but it is being stolen,” Dlamini said, noting that over E2 billion has reportedly been lost funds that could have been channelled towards national development. “Ikhona imali kulelive, mane kudlalwa ngayo,” he added.
Minister Sikhumbuzo Dlamini further stated that the amounts recovered by the PAC remain insignificant compared to the scale of losses, highlighting that not all government ministries have been audited by the Auditor General.
He said it was now up to Parliament to determine the next course of action in addressing the crisis.
The proposed model, the Madlanga Commission formally known as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System was established in South Africa by President Cyril Ramaphosa and is chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The commission is tasked with investigating allegations that criminal syndicates and drug cartels have infiltrated key law enforcement bodies, including the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and intelligence structures.
Prince Simelane warned that Eswatini risks facing a similar situation if urgent and decisive measures are not taken to root out corruption across all sectors.
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