BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE— The Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla officially unveiled the National Disaster Risk Management Authority (NDRMA), known in siSwati as Umvalo Wesive, on 28 April 2026 at Hilton Garden Inn, where she said the country is shifting focus from disaster response to risk reduction, preparedness, and early action.
The launch, which brought together government officials, diplomats, traditional leaders, development partners, and civil society, marked the rebranding of the former National Disaster Management Agency into a statutory authority established under the Disaster Risk Management Act of 2025 enacted by His Majesty King Mswati III.
Dladla said the change signals a new national direction in dealing with disasters. “This transition is not only symbolic. It represents a significant change in the way Government intends to manage disaster risk,” she said. “We are moving from a system that was largely associated with disaster response to a stronger and more proactive system focused on risk reduction, preparedness, early warning, response, and recovery.”
She warned that disasters continue to threaten development gains across sectors. “Disasters affect every sector of society and often reverse development gains that Government, communities, and partners have worked hard to achieve,” Dladla said. “For this reason, disaster risk management must be treated as a national development priority.”
The newly established authority will serve as the central coordinating institution for disaster risk management in the country, working with Government ministries, municipalities, traditional structures, the private sector, and communities.
Dladla emphasized that risk management cannot be handled by a single institution. “The work of reducing disaster risk cannot be left to one institution alone. It requires the participation of the whole of Government and the whole of society,” she said.
The event also featured the unveiling of the NDRMA logo and the official introduction of its siSwati name, Umvalo Wesive, selected through a nationwide competition that attracted more than 1 650 entries.
Mlungisi Bhembe and Bachazile Dlamini have emerged as winners of the naming competition for the National Disaster Risk Management Authority siSwati name. Bhembe submitted “Umvalo wetehlakalo” while Dlamini submitted “Umvalo wenhlekelele,” with the two entries combined to produce “Umvalo Wesive,” now the official siSwati name for the authority. Each winner received E5 000.
The winners said their inspiration came from umvalo in a cattle byre, where a weak enclosure exposes valuable livestock to risk, reflecting the authority’s role of protecting lives and national assets from disasters.
Dladla said the name gives the institution national identity and public ownership. “This name is important because institutions must speak to the people they serve,” she said. “It allows communities to identify with the institution not only as a Government structure, but as a national protector and partner in resilience.”
She also highlighted growing climate related risks, including unpredictable rainfall patterns, storms, and dry spells, noting that the new system responds to lessons learned over years of disaster management experience.
Closing the ceremony, Dladla urged national unity behind the new authority. “We must invest in prevention today to reduce losses tomorrow,” she said. “May this authority serve the people of Eswatini with diligence, professionalism, and commitment.”
