Africa-Press – Eswatini. Eswatini is celebrating a major regional milestone following the appointment of former Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) Commissioner General, Dumisani Masilela, as the new Executive Secretary of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
The announcement was made by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg on Friday, November 21, 2026. Rijkenberg further confirmed that Masilela will officially assume the post on 1 March 2026.
Masilela, currently serving at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D.C., emerged as the top candidate after interviews conducted by Finance Ministers from all SACU Member States in Johannesburg, South Africa. Rijkenberg expressed pride in the achievement, describing it as a moment of national celebration for Eswatini.
The Minister noted that Masilela’s appointment was unanimously supported by all SACU countries, reflecting his strong professional track record and regional credibility. “Masilela has come a long way. He has served as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, and he was the first Commissioner General of the ERS when it began operations in 2011. We are proud to see him rise to such a distinguished regional leadership role,” Rijkenberg said.
Masilela left the ERS in January 2022 after 12 years at the helm to join the IMF, initially based in the organisation’s regional offices in Tanzania before relocating to its headquarters in Washington D.C. in early 2024. At the IMF, he assists several developing countries in implementing Medium Term Revenue Strategies aimed at strengthening domestic resource mobilisation.
Reflecting on his departure from ERS at the time, Masilela said he had been eager to take on new professional challenges that would expand his skills and exposure. His ascension to the SACU Executive Secretary role is widely seen as a testament to his expertise in fiscal policy, revenue administration and regional economic cooperation.
He succeeds Thabo David Khasipe, who served as Executive Secretary from February 2023 until October 2025. Khasipe will now head the Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) as its new Chief Executive Officer, where he is expected to lead restructuring efforts and drive legislative reforms.
As SACU Executive Secretary, Masilela will be based in Namibia, where the SACU headquarters has been located since 2005. His role will include steering the day-to-day operations of the Secretariat, facilitating the implementation of decisions taken by SACU’s Council and Summit, and strengthening the organisation’s visibility and strategic partnerships.
The Secretariat also plays a crucial role in trade facilitation, assisting Member States in negotiating agreements with third parties, managing the SACU brand and ensuring effective communication among stakeholders. Masilela is expected to bring strategic leadership to these functions as SACU continues to play a key role in regional integration and economic cooperation.
SACU, established in 1910, remains the world’s oldest customs union, comprising Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. It operates on a common external tariff, free trade among Member States and a shared revenue pool – pillars that Masilela will oversee as he guides the organisation into its next chapter.
Part of the money used to finance Eswatini’s budget comes from SACU, and that money accounts for about 30% of that. The amount received by Eswatini from SACU is around E11 billion, while about E18 billion is sourced from the country’s domestic sources.
Eswatini now looks ahead with pride as one of its foremost economic leaders prepares to take the helm of this historic regional institution.
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