NEWLY-APPOINTED Managing Director of the Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) Thulani Fakudze has been tasked with restoring integrity, professionalism and financial sustainability at the State-owned entity.
Fakudze, who currently serves as Director of Technical Services at the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), was officially unveiled yesterday by Information, Communication and Technology Minister Savannah Maziya.
He will assume his new role on July 1 and serve a three-year term.
Addressing EPTC management and stakeholders during the unveiling ceremony, Maziya urged Fakudze to uphold the highest standards of integrity and never compromise the law, regardless of pressure from senior government officials.
“Never let people like me put you in a position where your integrity will be questioned. Don’t say because I’m a minister I must allow you to do things that are illegal. You must tell me that what I’m asking is against the law,” she said.
The minister further encouraged the incoming managing director to hold all stakeholders accountable, including her, the principal secretary and the board chairman.
“Never fear to put us in our place and tell us to follow the law,” she said.
Maziya challenged Fakudze to transform the corporation by cutting unnecessary expenditure, eliminating irresponsible spending and building a workforce committed to serving the institution.
“You’ve been given a baby. Grow it fast, cut costs and take away all the irresponsible costs that were brought into the institution. We need a culture of people who work for the institution,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of merit-based recruitment, saying institutions perform better when qualified individuals are appointed to positions based on competence.
“We need to hire people who know what they are doing because if you do, your job becomes easier and you can hold people accountable,” Maziya added.
The minister acknowledged that the telecommunications sector is facing financial pressures globally and said EPTC was no exception. She said the corporation must adapt to remain sustainable and continue supporting livelihoods.
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“The telecommunications sector around the world is experiencing financial challenges, so ours is no different. We need to bring about an institution that can survive so careers can survive. We have to look at how it survives going forward,” the minister said.
Maziya further called on Fakudze to foster a culture of honesty, professionalism, kindness and mutual respect within the organisation. She reminded him that leadership was fundamentally about service rather than authority.
“The fact that you are leading the organisation actually makes you the servant of the organisation. Do not come in with an attitude to say, ‘I’m the MD, everything I say goes.’ Leadership in its real sense means you go below everybody and serve for the greater good,” she said.
The minister also urged the incoming managing director to safeguard public resources and ensure sound financial management.
“Ensure that we follow the law in everything that we do. Also make sure our accounts are proper and in order,” she said.
Directing to the EPTC Board Chairperson Kwanele Magagula, Maziya said government expected chief executives of public enterprises to drive growth and innovation rather than depend entirely on State support. She noted that government revenue sources were under pressure due to economic challenges affecting businesses.
“Let’s have CEOs who can grow institutions. Let’s bring CEOs who will work for institutions, make them grow, have targets and bring ideas that move the institution forward,” she said.
