EZULWINI – The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) has joined a select group of organisations recognised for excellence in quality management after being awarded the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification.
This is said to be a milestone, which the Eswatini Standards Authority (ESWASA) says demonstrates the country’s growing capacity to achieve world-class standards locally.
Presenting the certificate during the ERS Client Appreciation Day, ESWASA Executive Director Ncamiso Mhlanga described the certification as a hard-earned achievement that reflects the revenue collector’s commitment to quality, efficiency and continuous improvement.
The certification, which is valid for three years and subject to annual surveillance audits, confirms that ERS has implemented a quality management system that meets internationally recognised standards.
“Certification is never handed out, it is earned,” Mhlanga said. “This certificate is different from the merit certificates that one may receive before beginning a journey. This one must be earned. You walk the journey first, and then you receive the certificate.”
He explained that the journey began with ESWASA providing comprehensive training to ERS staff on the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard before the organisation embarked on implementing the system throughout its operations.
According to Mhlanga, ERS translated the standard’s requirements into documented procedures, integrated them into its day-to-day operations and secured commitment from employees at every level, from senior management to frontline staff.
The implementation was then subjected to a rigorous two-stage audit by ESWASA. The first stage assessed the organisation’s readiness and reviewed its documented quality management system, while the second stage evaluated whether those documented processes were being effectively implemented in practice.
“ERS successfully emerged from that process, and that is why we are gathered here today,” he said, congratulating Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule and the entire ERS team for the achievement.
Mhlanga stressed that the ISO 9001 certificate should not be viewed as a decorative award, but as a commitment to a new way of operating.
“It is not a certificate for the wall. It is a way of working,” he said.
He explained that the standard ensures best practices are embedded across every department, promotes customer-focused and consistent processes, encourages proactive risk management and requires decisions to be based on evidence.
For taxpayers, he said, the certification translates into better, faster and more reliable services.
He added that ISO 9001 creates a culture of continuous improvement, where organisations constantly measure their performance, identify weaknesses and strive to improve every day.
“An organisation that measures itself, corrects itself and challenges itself to do better every single day develops a culture that becomes the most valuable asset any institution can possess,” he said.
He challenged other government agencies, State-owned enterprises and large private organisations to partner with ESWASA rather than seeking certification from foreign companies.
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