By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Eswatini Government has extended its warmest congratulations to Dumisani Masilela, the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the South African Customs Union(SACU).

Masilela has been appointed after passing interviews and subsequently endorsed by the SACU countries, he is the former Commissioner General of the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) and current Technical Assistance Advisor at the International Monetary Fund(IMF).

“Mr. Masilela’s distinguished career, spanning over 35 years in public finance, revenue administration, and economic governance, has been marked by exceptional leadership and transformative impact. His tenure as Commissioner General of the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS)an institution he pioneered,set new standards in revenue administration, enhanced tax compliance, and drove consistent revenue growth for over a decade. His subsequent role as Technical Assistance Advisor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) further cemented his reputation as a leading expert in global tax policy and institutional reform,” reads an online statement released by the eSwatini Government on Saturday afternoon.

The eSwatini Government said, the Kingdom takes immense pride in Masilela’s continued contribution to regional and international economic development.

“His appointment to lead SACU is both a testament to his expertise and a recognition of Eswatini’s growing influence in the regional economic landscape. We are confident that his deep experience in policy reform, revenue modernization, and strategic leadership will greatly benefit SACU’s mandate The Government of Eswatini wishes Mr. Masilela success as he assumes this esteemed role, and reaffirms its commitment to supporting his leadership in advancing SACU’s vision for shared prosperity among member states,” the Government said through the statement.

The Southern African Customs Union is the world’s oldest customs union consisting of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and eSwatini.

It functions as a customs union by having a common external tariff on imported goods and a common customs territory, meaning trade among members is duty-free. 

SACU shares customs revenues and coordinates policies to enhance economic cooperation and competitiveness among its members.