BY NOXOLO DLAMINI
PIGG’S PEAK — The Eswatini Institute of Management and Public Administration (EIMPA) has challenged the His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) Executive Command to make corporate governance a visible part of everyday decision-making, ethical leadership and institutional performance.
The call was made during Day Two of the ongoing HMCS Executive Command Retreat, held at Pigg’s Peak Hotel on Wednesday, where EIMPA facilitators led presentations on Corporate Governance, Ethical Leadership and Strategic Planning.
The sessions were led by EIMPA Principal Gcinile Dlamini, supported by lecturers Peter Khumalo and Josephine Maziya.
The presentations focused on strengthening systems of rules, responsibilities and oversight to ensure that HMCS is directed and managed ethically, effectively and accountably.
The Executive Command was guided on the importance of sound decision-making, including how decisions should be properly made, documented and monitored, while ensuring that authority and accountability are clearly assigned.
A key emphasis during the presentations was the need to manage compliance, risk and performance as interconnected areas, rather than treating them as separate processes.
EIMPA also highlighted practical corporate governance building blocks, including clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of governing bodies and executive management, establishing clear mandates and policies, and strengthening internal controls.
The discussions further covered risk management, internal audit oversight, conflict of interest, ethical conduct, transparency and reporting as essential elements in promoting institutional accountability.
Dlamini stressed that effective governance should go beyond policies and documents and become part of the organisation’s everyday culture.
“Governance must be visible in the organisation’s day-to-day behaviour and decision-making, not only in written documents,” Dlamini said.
She noted that good governance should contribute to protecting HMCS assets and reputation, promoting fairness in decision-making, preventing fraud and negligence, and creating an environment where employees can safely raise concerns.
Dlamini also spoke about HMCS’ alignment with corporate governance, strategic performance and partnerships with other sectors.
She highlighted the importance of strategic learning co-creation, explaining that EIMPA is prepared to work with HMCS through a joint curriculum approach that responds directly to the organisation’s training and development needs.
According to Dlamini, this could include co-designing customised recruit induction programmes and developing specialised officer development courses, while incorporating patriotism and mindset change into learning pathways.
EIMPA further highlighted the importance of aligning training programmes with Eswatini Higher Education and Training Council (ESHEC) accreditation standards, ensuring that customised security and public sector modules lead to recognised, quality qualifications.
The approach seeks to move HMCS away from isolated training events towards institutionalised, co-created learning pathways capable of building strategic leadership and practical organisational capability.
In closing, Dlamini said EIMPA was ready to strengthen collaboration with HMCS and other stakeholders to deliver measurable national impact under the HMCS “Nkwe!” directive.
She said EIMPA is open to developing a fully accredited national school of government, fit-for-purpose executive and functional public sector training, contextualised research and advisory services, as well as strategic partnerships focused on joint capacity building and technical exchange.
The proposed collaborations are intended to support co-designed interventions that respond to the country’s institutional and public sector development needs.
The second day of the retreat therefore placed strong emphasis on ensuring that leadership, governance, ethics and strategic planning translate into practical action and measurable results within HMCS.
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