THE ministry of home affairs has handled 297 service activities at the Eswatini International Trade Fair (EITF) on Monday, reflecting strong demand for essential government documents and registration services.
The figures, recorded on August 31, show that the ministry processed a range of services, including passport applications and collections, birth and marriage conversions, certified copies, alterations and late birth registrations.
According to the ministry’s statistics for the day, 32 applicants were attended to, while 230 passports were filed and 35 passports were collected.
The ministry also processed 44 birth conversions and three marriage conversions.
A further 23 certified copies were issued, while five alterations were processed. Late birth registrations accounted for 96 of the services provided during the day, while one current birth registration and one current death registration were also recorded.
The figures bring the total number of activities carried out by the ministry at its trade fair exhibition stall on August 31 to 297.
The statistics, however, represent only one day of the ongoing trade fair, meaning the overall number of services provided by the ministry is expected to be significantly higher by the time the event ends.
Ministry of Home Affairs Communications Officer Mlandvo Dlamini said the ministry was a crowd puller at EITF 2026 because it offered services that were highly needed by members of the public.
Dlamini said the ministry always anticipated a huge turnout of members of the public at its exhibition stall because of the nature of the services it provides.
He said the presence of the ministry at the trade fair gave members of the public an opportunity to access services while attending the annual event.
The high demand for the services was visible at the ministry’s stall, where long queues were observed as members of the public waited to receive assistance with birth certificates, passports and other services.
The size of the crowd at the stall also resulted in police being brought in to maintain order as people waited to be assisted.
The services recorded on Monday show that birth-related services made up a significant portion of the ministry’s activities for the day.
Late birth registrations were the second-highest individual service recorded, with 96 people assisted, while 44 birth conversions were also processed.
Passport-related services also accounted for a large share of the day’s activities, with 230 passports filed and 35 collected.
The ministry’s presence at the trade fair therefore provided an avenue for members of the public to access several services in one place, with the statistics showing continued demand for documentation and civil registration services.
Dlamini acknowledged the patience shown by members of the public while waiting to be assisted at the ministry’s stall.
He also said the ministry appreciated the criticism it received from members of the public, whether positive or negative.
According to Dlamini, such feedback helped the ministry improve the way it disseminated its services.
