Eswatini’s lawmakers have recommended giving foreign-owned businesses found in breach of regulations 12 months to comply or cease trading. The recommendation, adopted in Lobamba on 10 November, follows inspections that have already led to the closure of several shops, including some run by Asian business owners. The debate centres on trading licences, immigration requirements and the role of local entrepreneurs in retail.

Inspections focus on land under customary tenure

The parliamentary debate focused primarily on shops operating on Swazi Nation Land, which is held under customary tenure. Commerce, Industry and Trade Minister Manqoba Khumalo cited the 1975 Trading Licences Order, which allows certain activities to be reserved for Eswatini citizens or companies wholly owned by them. According to the minister, inspectors found businesses operating without the appropriate licences and cases in which operators lacked the required immigration documents.

The 12-month period remains a parliamentary recommendation. Khumalo supported a transition period for traders who are lawfully resident in the kingdom and operate in sectors reserved for citizens. He said the arrangement would exclude people whose immigration status does not permit them to trade. Each operator’s position therefore depends on both their trading licence and their immigration status.

Shop closures raise concerns about jobs and access to essential goods

Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini questioned the government about the closure of shops run by Asian traders. He raised concerns about local employees and stock left inside shuttered stores. Fellow MP Marwick Khumalo pointed to another issue. In some communities, residents rely on these shops for bread and other essentials.

The debate also highlighted access to finance. Mafutseni MP Sabelo Mtetwa called for a shorter transition period and urged the government to help local entrepreneurs secure the funds they need to open shops of their own. The inspections were scheduled to end on 19 November, after which the findings were to be submitted to the government. For the communities affected, the immediate questions are which shops can bring their operations into compliance and who will supply essential goods where stores close.