BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI– Small and micro businesses are set to receive more direct tax support as the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) rolls out a regional service model that assigns dedicated Client Relationship Consultants (CRCs) to businesses through local ERS service centres.
The initiative was launched on Wednesday, September30, 2026, at The George Hotel in Manzini during the first stop of a nationwide engagement series aimed at improving taxpayer support, strengthening compliance and helping small businesses navigate their tax obligations.
The Regional CRC Model is designed to give small and micro businesses a dedicated point of contact within their nearest ERS service centre. Instead of businesses having to navigate the revenue authority on their own, the assigned consultants will provide direct guidance on tax matters, assist with compliance queries and help connect businesses to the appropriate ERS services.
The Manzini rollout covers businesses in Manzini and Matsapha, with similar arrangements expected to be introduced in other regions as the nationwide roadshow progresses.
ERS Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule said the revenue authority’s role was not simply to enforce tax obligations, but also to help taxpayers understand and meet them.
“Our role is to assist in tax compliance,” Nkambule said, emphasising the importance of helping businesses remain compliant.
He said improved compliance contributes to national development by ensuring businesses meet their obligations and contribute to the country’s revenue base.
ERS Head of Domestic Revenue and Commissioner-Domestic Taxes Pearl Muir-Dlamini said the regional approach was intended to make tax services more accessible to businesses.
“We want to bring ERS closer to you,” Muir-Dlamini said.
She said placing dedicated support within local service centres would allow businesses to receive assistance closer to where they operate, particularly small and micro enterprises that may require guidance on tax processes.
The engagement also gave the business community an opportunity to raise concerns affecting their operations.
Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC) First Vice President Elijah Dlamini appealed to ERS to extend the validity of Tax Clearance Certificates (TCCs) for small and medium enterprises to at least three months.
Dlamini said a longer validity period would help businesses maintain cash flow, pursue commercial opportunities and reduce administrative delays associated with repeatedly obtaining tax clearance.
The programme also covered the accreditation of e-invoicing vendors and introduced the SME Tax and Customs Compliance Toolkit, providing essential information and resources for growing businesses.
A question-and-answer session allowed stakeholders to seek clarification from ERS officials on tax and customs matters.
The Manzini engagement marks the beginning of the ERS countrywide roadshow, through which the revenue authority will take the regional service approach closer to businesses in other parts of the Kingdom.
For small and micro enterprises, the model creates a clearer and more direct channel for accessing tax guidance, resolving compliance queries and engaging with ERS.
The initiative reflects ERS’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with the small-business sector while making taxpayer support more accessible at regional level.
