BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
EZULWINI – University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Vice Chancellor Professor Justice M. Thwala has cautioned organisations against embracing artificial intelligence (AI) without first investing in staff training and strong governance systems, warning that failure to do so could lead to poor decision-making, legal risks, and loss of public trust.
Speaking during the signing of an agreement between the UNESWA AI Academy and the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) on June 4,2026 Prof. Thwala said AI presents major opportunities for improving efficiency and productivity, but only if institutions ensure that people are properly equipped to use it responsibly.
He said many organisations are modernising and digitising their operations, but often overlook the critical need to prepare employees for rapid technological change.
“The risk is that the technology moves faster than the people. Systems are upgraded, platforms are deployed and dashboards are built, but the staff who do the actual work are left behind,” he said.
Prof. Thwala noted that AI has significantly accelerated workplace transformation, with tasks that once took hours now being completed in minutes through generative tools.
However, he warned that adopting AI without proper safeguards could expose institutions to serious risks, especially in environments handling sensitive and confidential information.
“Without proper data governance, transparency and safeguards, AI can lead to poorer decisions, broken public trust and legal exposure,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor commended the Eswatini Revenue Service leadership for investing in staff development, citing industrialist Henry Ford, who famously said: “The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.”
He also referenced entrepreneur Derek Sivers, who observed that: “Performance is maximized when employees feel they are being developed into their best selves, creating a culture of loyalty.”
Prof. Thwala said the UNESWA AI Academy was created to help Eswatini navigate both the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence by building national capacity and promoting responsible AI adoption.
Established in August 2024 as a Centre of Excellence within the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the Academy has developed specialised programmes for educators, professionals, and legal practitioners, with a new programme for the accounting profession set for launch in July.
He said experience from existing programmes had shown that general AI training alone is not sufficient, as different professions have unique operational, legal, and ethical requirements that must be addressed through tailored learning.
The tailor-made programme being developed for ERS staff will focus on AI literacy, prompt engineering, ethical and legal compliance, workflow automation, research skills, and organisational AI governance.
Prof. Thwala described the initiative as a major investment in human capital, stressing that technological transformation must always be matched by workforce readiness.
“We are not signing this agreement because artificial intelligence is fashionable. We are signing it because the work of revenue administration is changing, and the people who do that work deserve to be properly prepared for that change,” he said.
As Eswatini accelerates its digital transformation agenda, Prof. Thwala said the success of AI adoption will ultimately depend not on the technology itself, but on the people using it.
He emphasised that investing in skills, ethics and governance today would ensure that AI becomes a tool for national development rather than a source of new risks and inequalities.
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