BY THEMBA ZWANE
EZULWINI– His Majesty King Mswati III has extended an invitation to chairpersons and commissioners of Public Service Commissions (PSCs) from across the SADC region to attend the Umhlanga cultural ceremony.
Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson Simanga Mamba made the announcement when he welcomed SADC PSC chairpersons and commissioners upon their arrival at the Royal Villas Hotel and Conference Centre ahead of the 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the SADC Public Service Commissions Forum.
Mamba said the invitation presented the regional delegates with an opportunity to witness one of Eswatini’s major cultural events and possibly meet Their Majesties.
“His Majesty the King has also extended an invitation to you Chairpersons and commissioners to the Umhlanga cultural ceremony. I am hopeful that the King will be able to meet and greet you on Saturday, I think,” Mamba said.
The invitation comes as Eswatini hosts the three-day SADC PSCs Forum AGM from August 28 to 30, 2026, at the Royal Villas in Ezulwini.
The meeting is being held under the theme “Accelerating the Transformation of the SADC Region through Resilient, Responsive, Citizen Centric, Innovative and Incorruptible Public Service Institutions.”
Mamba said the gathering would focus on finding ways of improving efficiency in public service delivery, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that citizens received satisfactory services from public institutions.
He said the forum would provide an opportunity for member states to compare experiences, identify challenges and establish practical approaches that could improve the performance of public institutions across the region.
‘PUBLIC SERVICE MUST KEEP UP’
Public Service Commission of South Africa Chairperson Professor Somadoda Fikeni said the AGM was important because public service institutions needed to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.
Fikeni said the meeting, which is the third AGM since the establishment of the forum, would allow PSCs to compare notes, share experiences, support one another and identify areas requiring training and human resource development.
He said developments such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation were increasingly becoming part of everyday life, making it necessary for public services to adapt.
“The world is changing very fast; artificial intelligence, digital transformation is part of our daily interface,” Fikeni said.
He stressed that public service institutions needed to be “nimble and agile” if they were to respond effectively to these changes.
Fikeni further pointed to wider challenges confronting governments, including geopolitical developments, climate change, increasing disasters and migration and immigration challenges.
He said the forum, bringing together institutions with oversight responsibilities over the public service, would provide a platform to reflect on these developments and their implications for government.
Ultimately, he said, the discussions should contribute towards greater integration of the SADC region.
The AGM will feature keynote addresses, presentations and technical panel discussions focusing on issues including consequence management, ethical leadership, artificial intelligence governance and digital transformation.
Eswatini is also expected to explore partnerships with Wits University and the African Union (AU) aimed at strengthening the capacity of civil servants to execute their responsibilities more effectively.
Mamba and CSC commissioners, including Prince Mfanawemakhosi Jomo Dlamini and Reverend Nhlanhla Hlatshwayo, welcomed the regional delegates upon their arrival in the Kingdom.
The AGM is expected to conclude with a declaration on transforming SADC public service institutions into resilient, capable, responsive, innovative and citizen-centred entities.
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