BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
LOBAMBA – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on Government to make police vehicles a top priority, saying an adequate fleet is essential to improve service delivery and ensure officers respond to emergencies efficiently.
The call was made on Thursday July 2,2026 during the committee’s sitting with the Prime Minister’s Office, where members considered the Auditor General’s Financial Audit Report for the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).
PAC Vice Chairperson Manzi Zwane urged REPS to report vehicle shortages to the committee whenever they arise, saying Parliament can only advocate for increased funding when it is fully aware of the service’s operational challenges.
“Police vehicles must be a priority because they are key to service delivery,” said Zwane.
He noted that the shortage of vehicles has, in some instances, forced police officers to use their personal vehicles while carrying out official duties, a situation he said should not continue.
The discussion followed findings in the Auditor General’s report, which highlighted unauthorised recurrent expenditure of E249 million, including E34 million under CTA costs, E209 million in personnel expenditure and overspending on travel, transport and communication.
Responding to the committee, Royal Eswatini Police Service Official acknowledged the overspending, explaining that CTA expenditure increased because REPS had to purchase vehicle spare parts and hire vehicles before the arrival of the new police fleet. He added that personnel costs rose following the four percent cost-of-living adjustment, while travel expenditure exceeded the approved budget because of inadequate allocations.
PAC member Sifiso Shabalala said the committee appreciated the explanations but urged the ministry to comply with the law by seeking additional budget allocations whenever approved funds were no longer sufficient.
Committee member Ntando Mkhonta questioned whether the National Commissioner had adequate control over the police fleet, noting that REPS had spent about E35 million on rental vehicles. He said Parliament had also raised concerns over vehicle rental costs in other government institutions and wanted to know what measures were being taken to strengthen fleet management.
Controlling Officer and National Commissioner of Police Vusi Manoma Masango said the high expenditure on rental vehicles was caused by an inadequate police fleet. He said if Government provided enough vehicles, there would be no need to hire rental cars.
Masango told the committee that the rented vehicles had since been returned to their owners but stressed that REPS still does not have enough vehicles to effectively carry out its policing mandate.
The shortage of vehicles has been one of the biggest challenges facing REPS. In some cases, officers have been forced to use their own vehicles, personal cellphones and even walk to crime scenes because of a lack of transport and other operational resources.
The situation has contributed to delays in responding to incidents and has affected criminal investigations, with some detectives using their own money to travel while carrying out official duties.
Government has acknowledged the challenges facing the police service. Prime Minister Russell Dlamini has previously pledged that Government will continue prioritising police welfare, including improving housing, equipment and other resources needed to strengthen service delivery and enhance public safety.
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