Professionals cannot afford to rely on qualifications earned years ago if they hope to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving world.
That was the message delivered by Industrial Court Judge Lungile Msimango, who challenged professionals to make lifelong learning a deliberate habit rather than an occasional pursuit, saying continuous professional development was no longer optional but essential for effective leadership.
Msimango was delivering the keynote address during the official launch of the ESAMI Eswatini Alumni Association at Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini Friday evening, where alumni, senior government officials, business leaders and professionals gathered to celebrate the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute’s (ESAMI) contribution to leadership and management development across Africa.
The event, held under the theme ‘Strengthening Connections, Building the Future’, also celebrated ESAMI’s legacy of producing more than 85,000 graduates across its 10 member states while formally establishing the Eswatini chapter of its alumni association to strengthen collaboration, mentorship and professional networking.
Among those in attendance were Secretary to Cabinet Victor Nxumalo, ESAMI Board member Mthunzi Shabangu, ESAMI Director General Professor Peter Kiuluku, Director of ESAMI Business School Professor Joseph Mumba and Country Manager Winile Nxumalo, senior government officials, alumni and prospective students.
Speaking as both a judge and one of ESAMI’s graduates, Msimango reflected on her own professional journey, saying every stage of her career had reinforced the importance of continuing to acquire new knowledge and skills. She recounted progressing through a succession of increasingly demanding roles, beginning as an examiner of trademarks before serving as an industrial court clerk, candidate attorney, attorney of the high court, assistant master of the high court, registrar of the industrial court and later registrar of the supreme court.
She eventually served as a judge of the industrial court before receiving her substantive appointment in October 2022. Throughout that progression, she said, education remained central to her professional growth. While serving as registrar of the supreme court, Msimango enrolled for a Master of Business Administration through ESAMI, balancing the demands of senior judicial administration with postgraduate studies.
Capabilities
She said the qualification equipped her with capabilities that complemented her legal training by providing practical leadership, governance and management skills needed to supervise courts, manage public resources and lead people effectively.
“ESAMI gave me what my legal training alone could not,” she said, explaining that the institution exposed her to leadership approaches and management techniques that have continued to influence her work long after graduation.
For Msimango, however, the greatest value of ESAMI extended beyond the classroom. “It builds capacity and then connection. The connection outlasts the course itself,” she said, describing networking as one of the institution’s greatest strengths.
Turning to the graduates gathered before her, Msimango challenged them to embrace three principles that should guide their careers if they wished to remain effective leaders. The first, she said, was a commitment to continuous learning.
“The world does not wait for comfort,” she said, urging professionals to deliberately pursue specialised knowledge, embrace new skills and remain intellectually curious throughout their careers. She warned that professional relevance was not achieved by chance but through consistent investment in personal development.
Her second message centred on integrity. Whether serving in government, business, the Judiciary or local communities, Msimango said leadership ultimately depended less on intelligence than on trust. She argued that the country’s development would be shaped not only by the abilities of its professionals but by their willingness to exercise ethical leadership consistently and responsibly.
Her final appeal focused on giving back. Rather than concentrating solely on individual success, Msimango encouraged graduates to mentor younger professionals, open opportunities for others and contribute their expertise towards strengthening national institutions. She said experienced professionals had a responsibility to invest in the next generation in the same way others had invested in their own careers.
Alumni network to strengthen professional links
The newly launched ESAMI Eswatini Alumni Association is expected to become a catalyst for professional networking, lifelong learning and leadership development, with graduates urged to remain actively engaged long after completing their studies.
That was the recurring message from ESAMI Business School Director Professor Joseph Mumba and ESAMI Eswatini Country Manager Winile Nxumalo, who said the association would provide a structured platform for alumni to reconnect, exchange ideas, mentor future leaders and contribute to national development.
The association was launched during an alumni networking dinner held at Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini on Friday evening. Welcoming guests, Nxumalo said the evening represented far more than a reunion of former classmates. Instead, she described it as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of graduates who had gone on to become leaders and decision-makers across both the public and private sectors.
Professor Mumba echoed those sentiments, saying the newly established chapter would become the bridge connecting alumni in Eswatini with the wider regional and global ESAMI community. He said maintaining those relationships was essential because leadership development should not end on graduation day.
Mumba also appealed to alumni in the country to volunteer for leadership positions within the new chapter, saying strong local leadership would ensure the association remained vibrant and relevant.
