The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) has engaged more than 5,000 businesses since launching its Bafundzise Campaign in March 2025.
The campaign is an outreach and education initiative aimed at improving tax compliance and strengthening ties with the business community.
The campaign targets both registered and unregistered businesses and includes Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), employers, and traders.
The campaign has already covered key towns such as Manzini, Matsapha, Mbabane, Ezulwini, and Nhlangano. Its next stop is Siteki on 28 August 2025, where ERS will extend its outreach to businesses operating on Eswatini Nation Land.
To ensure the campaign reaches rural areas, ERS has partnered with the Ministry of Tinkhundla. On 13 August 2025, ERS Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule met with Minister Sikhumbuzo Dlamini, Principal Secretary Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Under Secretary Ngcayizivele Dlamini, Regional Administrators, and officials from the Tinkhundla Administration Offices.
It was agreed that Regional Administrators would facilitate engagements with Chiefdoms to explain the campaign’s purpose and secure support for working with local businesses. A detailed rollout plan will then be shared, with the Ministry of Tinkhundla and ERS coordinating communication and mobilization before the activities.
Since launch, the campaign has engaged over 5,000 clients across five major urban centers. Key results include:
• Manzini: 1,777 businesses engaged (69.4% holding Tax Identification Numbers (TINS))
• Matsapha: 931 businesses engaged, with the highest compliance rate so far (88.9% holding TINS)
• Mbabane: 1,667 businesses engaged (72.1% holding TINs)
• Ezulwini: 229 businesses engaged (89% holding TINS, one of the strongest rates)
• Nhlangano: 522 businesses engaged (73.8% holding TINs)
ERS has also facilitated on-site TIN registration for more than 300 clients, responding to high demand for this service.
The Bafundzise campaign emphasizes education through group sessions and one-on-one consultations. Topics include Presumptive Tax, Corporate Income Tax, PAYE, TIN registration, and use of the TaxEase digital platform. The campaign also provides guidance on customs-related questions and debt management support through the Sondzela Sikhulume solution, which assists clients needing debt help.
SMMEs, in particular, have appreciated the door-to-door approach, saying it provides direct access to tax education and services they might not otherwise seek.
Building a Culture of Compliance
ERS states the campaign is about more than just numbers; it’s about changing perceptions of the tax authority.
“Clients are beginning to see ERS not only as a collector of taxes, but as an institution committed to helping them understand their obligations, grow their businesses, and contribute meaningfully to the economy,” said Ntobeko Dlamini, ERS Director of Communications and Marketing.
“By making tax education accessible, relevant, and supportive, ERS is laying the foundation for a stronger culture of compliance across Eswatini,” he added.