The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) Eswatini has officially registered as an Approved Employer with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
This strategic milestone directly aligns Eswatini’s Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) with global best practices in accountancy, a deliberate shift toward reinforcing and modernizing the country’s Public Finance Management system.
To mark the launch of this partnership, senior officials from ACCA visited the OAG headquarters, conducting high-level meetings with executive management and local state auditors who have already enrolled in the rigorous program.
Auditor General Timothy Matsebula expressed gratitude for the milestone partnership, underscoring that the core duties of government auditors are rapidly evolving. The era of simply hunting for clerical errors or checking off qualifying statements is giving way to a more sophisticated mandate centered on assessing absolute value for money.
According to the Auditor General, accountability for the use of public funds is no longer merely about profitability. “Accountability for the use of public funds is no longer about profitability, but the focus is now on service delivery, which is ensuring that the public receives due service from Government,’ said Matsebula.
ACCA qualifications will enable our auditors to be well capacitated to understand the business model to make recommendations that will strengthen the country’s Public Finance Management (PFM) System.”
The journey to completely professionalize the oversight body is part of an ongoing evolution. Matsebula explained that the OAG has historically leveraged strong partnerships with international bodies, such as the International Organisation for Supreme Audit Institutions and the African Organisation for English-Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions.
Because accounting and state-level auditing remain highly specialized fields operating under continuously shifting international standards, the OAG’s revised Strategic Plan prioritizes an organizational culture rooted in technical proficiency, strict ethical standards, and constant professional re-capacitation. To turn this strategic vision into practical action, the OAG has already enrolled an inaugural cohort of twenty-three officers into the ACCA qualification stream, with concrete plans to register more employees as the workplace framework evolves.
Achieving Approved Employer status means the organization has passed a thorough review by ACCA, proving that its working environment directly supports the growth, mentorship, and career progression of trainees and chartered professionals alike. This designation offers immense benefits to the OAG ecosystem by providing structured training and support that keeps staff skills relevant and up to date. Furthermore, it enhances career development by carving out clearer internal pathways to senior management and high-level analytical roles.
The global accountancy body offers highly sought-after professional qualifications, technical insights, and continuous learning opportunities. Representing the organization during the visit, Mareke Chabedi emphasized that ACCA’s strict qualification benchmarks and unwavering commitment to career development perfectly match the OAG’s long-term internal vision for institutional professionalization.