MBABANE – The Eswatini Roads Authority (ERA) has appointed Ndabenhle Nxumalo as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Makhosazana Dlamini-Ginindza as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), as the country moves towards fully operationalising the institution responsible for overseeing its national road infrastructure.
The two executives were formally introduced today by the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe, who said their appointments marked an important stage in the reforms aimed at changing how roads are planned, developed and maintained in Eswatini.
The ERA is a national public institution established under the Roads Authority Act of 2023. Its mandate centres on the management and development of the country’s road infrastructure, including the planning, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads.
The establishment of the Authority is part of government’s efforts to reform the road sector and strengthen the way the country’s road infrastructure is managed and financed.
In his address during the introduction of the new executives, Chief Ndlwandwe said the authority was the product of deliberate reforms anchored in the 2023 legislation. He said the appointments would provide the institution with the leadership and capacity required to carry out its responsibilities.
The minister outlined the expectations facing the new CEO, particularly regarding the delivery of roads that are properly planned, constructed to the required standards and maintained on time.
He emphasised the need for value for money in road contracts, transparency in the management of public resources and a firm commitment to road safety.
He also called for innovation in the planning, construction and maintenance of roads, including the development of infrastructure that can withstand the effects of climate change.
The minister said roads and bridges should be built with resilience in mind to reduce the risk of damage from changing weather conditions.
To the newly-appointed CFO, Chief Ndwandwe stressed the importance of sound financial management, particularly as the authority takes responsibility for managing resources intended for road infrastructure.
He said the user-pays principle should gain public confidence through visible results, including a reduction in vehicle operating costs for road users.
The principle requires those who use road infrastructure to contribute towards its upkeep and improvement. In Eswatini, the financing arrangements include a Roads Authority levy introduced on fuel in April 2025.
The minister said the public needed to see the benefits of the resources collected for road infrastructure.
He further highlighted the importance of rebuilding public confidence in the institution through open communication, accountability and public participation.
He said the authority should be prepared to account for shortcomings and ensure that communities, including those in remote parts of the country, are consulted when decisions affecting them are made.
The minister urged Nxumalo to build an institution guided by integrity, professional excellence and service. He also emphasised that members of the management team should be appointed on the basis of merit, competence and integrity.
Meanwhile, ERA Board Chairperson Gideon Mhlongo said the minister had launched the Board in 2025 and given it the responsibility of recruiting a substantive CEO and CFO. Mhlongo is also the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mbabane Municipal Council.
He said the recruitment exercise had been thorough and was supported by expert consultants. According to Mhlongo, the process was conducted in compliance with national public procurement legislation.
He thanked the minister and Cabinet for approving the appointments, as well as the director of the Public Enterprises Unit for her support during the process.
Mhlongo also acknowledged the interim staff that had been seconded to the authority by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to assist with its work.
With the two executive positions now filled, he said the ERA Strategic Plan would begin to be implemented in earnest.
He assured stakeholders that the Board would remain accessible and support sound proposals while, also asking difficult questions whenever further explanations or assurances were required.
Mhlongo also appealed to the Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (ESPPRA) to give the Authority’s submissions expedited consideration.
