Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Eswatini Sports and Recreation Commission (ESRC) is currently leading a critical licensing engagement exercise with National Sports Association (NSA) Secretary Generals at Esibayeni Lodge, marking a pivotal review ahead of the 2025/26 fiscal period. The event, themed “Sport for All, Sport for Life,” aims to assess compliance, operational performance, and governance standards across sporting bodies while issuing licenses for the forthcoming cycle.
ESRC Communication Officer Ntiwane emphasized the importance of the annual review, stating, “This is when all parties meet to evaluate the operations of each sporting body. We pride ourselves on supporting our people—no association should operate ‘in the forest’ without proper oversight.” The exercise underscores ESRC’s mandate to ensure legal compliance, with license renewals contingent on past performance rather than automatic approval.
The engagement follows a structured review of governance adherence, financial accountability, and grassroots development initiatives. Associations are expected to demonstrate progress in decentralizing structures and fostering inclusivity, aligning with ESRC’s broader goal of promoting accessible sports nationwide. “We want to help our people operate legally and effectively,” Ntiwane added, highlighting the commission’s role in legitimizing sports bodies through licensing.
While specifics of the current proceedings remain under wraps, parallels can be drawn from regional models, such as Zimbabwe’s 2021 SRC meeting, where non-compliant associations faced deregistration unless they rectified governance gaps. ESRC’s approach similarly prioritizes accountability, with licenses serving as a tool to enforce standards and incentivize best practices.
The Esibayeni Lodge venue, recently host to Eswatini’s glitzy year-end cultural events and youth summits, now shifts focus to sports governance. The outcomes of this exercise will shape the eligibility of associations to participate in national leagues, access funding, and represent the country internationally.
As deliberations continue, the ESRC reaffirms its commitment to nurturing structured, compliant sporting ecosystems. “Sport is a unifying force,” Ntiwane noted, “and through these reviews, we ensure it thrives legally and inclusively.”
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