By Lindani Maseko
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Council of Mbabane, Gciniwe Fakudze, has called for a fundamental cultural shift in local government, urging authorities to embrace digital technology and rethink outdated approaches to service delivery.
Speaking during the Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers’ (CIGFARO) joint three-day conference held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Fakudze emphasized the urgent need for municipalities and entities to move with the times and innovate beyond traditional methods.
“As local government practitioners, we must shift our mindset,” she said. “It’s time to challenge ourselves to think in entirely new ways. The truth is, if you’re simply operating within your comfort zone, you’re not bringing anything new to the table. So I’ll ask again—are we truly offering something of value? Are we actually selling anything?”
The conference brought together key stakeholders from across Southern Africa, including representatives from Gauteng and Mpumalanga, to deliberate on restoring public confidence through data-driven decisions and fair, accurate billing systems.
A core part of Fakudze’s message revolved around the integration of digital payment systems and more modern, customer-centric communication tools. Fakudze said smart billing is not just a convenient upgrade—it is essential for municipalities that are committed to improving revenue collection, cutting down on debt, and enhancing the speed and quality of service delivery.
She highlighted how important it was for innovators within government to design solutions not only for today but for the next generation.
“Too often, innovation is short-sighted. When we innovate, we need to think ahead—not just for our generation, but for those who come after us,” she said.
Recalling an experience from her time in the private sector managing a customer service platform, Fakudze expressed concern over the local government’s slow adoption of widely used digital tools such as WhatsApp.
“I once asked a local authority why they weren’t on WhatsApp like most businesses are. The response was that they can’t be on WhatsApp but will get there eventually. And they said that’s why they have the government website, and you will find them directing people to their website instead,” she said.
She pointed out that while businesses have shifted to social media and digital payment platforms to better engage with customers, many public institutions lag, failing to meet the public where they already are.
In a relatable anecdote, Fakudze shared a personal frustration involving a delayed payment, saying, “I asked someone to send me a statement on WhatsApp, and I thought—imagine if that message had come with a ‘Click to Pay’ link, I honestly would have paid them right then. But because they hadn’t made it easy, I had to leave WhatsApp, open a banking app, and go through a process. Why must I do that?”
The CEO highlighted her vision for how Eswatini should evolve, focusing on the country’s potential to embrace innovation and reach new heights in development, using the example of Smart Taipei, where Taipei is utilising technology and data to improve urban life and governance.
Fakudze further applauded the Eswatini Water Service Corporation (EWSC) for its milestone in adopting digital transformation to assist its customers.
EWSC is actively embracing digital transformation to improve both water management and customer service delivery. As part of this shift, the corporation has introduced innovative solutions such as ‘Temanti’, a virtual assistant available on WhatsApp, and is continuously exploring digital tools to enhance efficiency across the entire water cycle.