MBABANE – Citizens are ready to take up economic space currently occupied by foreign-owned businesses, according to Citizens Economic Empowerment Council Chairperson and businessman Lincoln Motsa.
Motsa made the submission during the workshop on the proposed Citizens Economic Empowerment Act Regulations, where Members of Parliament (MPs) were taken through the provisions aimed at increasing citizen ownership and participation in the economy.
He said emaSwati should not be viewed as lacking the capacity to operate businesses currently dominated by foreign nationals.
His position comes as the proposed regulations seek to reserve a range of economic activities for targeted citizens, while requiring greater citizen ownership in larger and strategic businesses.
Motsa’s position places emphasis on the ability of local entrepreneurs to step into these spaces and operate sustainable businesses rather than simply being beneficiaries of government programmes.
One of the key highlights from the workshop was that foreign-owned businesses could be prohibited from operating on Swazi Nation Land (SNL) under proposed regulations aimed at giving emaSwati greater ownership and control of the economy.
This is contained in the draft Citizens Economic Empowerment Regulations, 2026, which were presented to Members of Parliament during a workshop convened by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade at the Hilton Garden Inn yesterday.
The workshop brought together parliamentarians, particularly members of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Portfolio Committee, to scrutinise and familiarise themselves with the proposed regulations before their consideration by Parliament.
The committee is chaired by Kubuta MP Masiphula Mamba.
The proposed regulations have been developed under Section 40 of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act No. 18 of 2023, which is already law but requires regulations to provide the mechanisms through which its provisions will be implemented. The draft has been vetted by the Attorney General’s Chambers and approved by Cabinet for tabling before Parliament.
Among the most significant provisions is the proposed reservation of certain areas of economic activity for targeted citizens.
The regulations specifically state that ‘no foreign business may operate on Swazi Nation Land (SNL)’.
The provision forms part of a broader reservation framework under which a range of businesses would be reserved for targeted citizens.
According to the presentation made by Director of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the ministry, Mluleki Dlamini, the first tier would reserve all retail businesses with annual turnover below E8 million for targeted citizens.
This includes general dealers, supermarkets, groceries, pharmacies, hardware businesses, motor spares and liquor outlets, among others. A broad range of services would also be reserved, including local transport, security services, funeral services,salons, events, arts and crafts, bakeries and catering businesses.
The proposed framework, however, does not completely shut non-citizens out of larger or strategic economic activities. Instead, businesses such as supermarkets and wholesalers with turnover above E8 million, petrol stations, large agricultural input businesses and cross-border transport would require joint ventures with citizens.
The draft proposes a minimum 50.1 per cent targeted-citizen ownership in such joint ventures.
For quarrying and sand mining, the proposed minimum targeted-citizen ownership would be 25 per cent, subject to the necessary permits.
