AS government’s ongoing compliance crackdown continued yesterday, authorities discovered E214 731 in cash at a Manzini clothing shop, while 39 passports belonging to different foreign nationalities and cash in multiple currencies were found at another business.
The discoveries were made by a multi-stakeholder government task team conducting inspections at business premises across the country to establish compliance with business, financial, tax and immigration laws.
Some business operators were charged with offences, including operating with invalid trading licences, trading without valid licences and unlawful stay in the kingdom. Some of those charged are expected to appear in court.
Registrar of Companies Msebe Malinga, who led the inspection, said the cash was found at one of the shops during checks relating to financial obligations, banking requirements, tax registration and Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance.
At another business in the Mozambique Hotel Complex, inspectors discovered a shop manager in possession of 39 passports belonging to different nationalities, including Pakistan, Mozambique, South Africa and Eswatini.
The shop was also found with cash in multiple currencies.
Malinga said the authorities had not yet established whether the passports were legally held, adding that the matter would be examined in collaboration with the ministry of home affairs, which is responsible for immigration matters, including the entry, exit and stay of people in the country.
During the inspection, Malinga together with his team then proceeded to the police station with the findings for further action.
Regarding the cash, he said the authorities would first establish the exact amount before determining its purpose and whether it raised any compliance concerns.
He noted that the country had a E25 000 threshold for carrying cash, adding that the authorities would need to establish where the money was coming from, where it was intended to go and what it was meant to finance.
“We are yet to count the money. We need to determine how much it is and then apply the relevant laws,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malinga said the inspections were part of government’s responsibility to ensure that businesses operated within the law.
“We are public officers. We enforce compliance. We need to be accountable so that our work is known and seen,” he said.
The discoveries came as government intensified its nationwide business compliance inspections, with Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo issuing a statement yesterday to clarify the purpose and scope of the exercise, amid public concerns and what the ministry described as misinformation.
According to Khumalo, the inspections were initiated on May 5 and were intended to verify whether businesses operating in urban and rural areas complied with the country’s laws and regulations.
He disclosed that 3 226 businesses had been inspected across the four regions, with 69.4% found to be noncompliant. The retail sector accounted for 68.9% of the businesses inspected.
The minister stressed that the exercise was not directed at any particular individual, group or nationality, and dismissed suggestions that it was xenophobic or intended to frustrate Emaswati.
He said the inspections were being conducted under existing legislation, including the Trading Licences Order of 1975, the Immigration Act of 1982 and the Income Tax Order of 1975, alongside other laws falling under the mandates of participating institutions.
Khumalo also clarified that the Citizens Economic Empowerment Act of 2024 was not being enforced during the current exercise, as the ministry was still developing the regulations required for its implementation.
On foreign nationals operating in sectors reserved for Emaswati, the minister acknowledged the need for fair and practical transitional arrangements for those who were lawfully in the country and willing to comply with the law.
However, he maintained that such consideration would not apply to individuals in the country illegally or those whose immigration status did not permit them to engage in commercial activities.
The ministry has appealed to the business community to cooperate with authorities and ensure that they meet all legal and regulatory obligations.
