SIYAYA REPORT REVEALS ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COLLAPSING OUR UNIVERSITY: CHIEF MKHUMBI JUST AS BAD AS PRINCE DAVID.
The University of Eswatini (UNESWA) is in turmoil following revelations of deep-seated governance failures, with the institution’s Council Chairman emerging as a central figure in alleged financial mismanagement, leadership failures, and operational inefficiencies.
A preliminary report by a government-appointed task team led by Ubombo Sugar Managing Director Muzi Siyaya exposes the Council’s ineffective oversight, conflicts of interest, and questionable decision-making, raising concerns about the university’s sustainability.
The report paints a troubling picture of the UNESWA Council under Chief Mkhumbi Dlamini's chairmanship, describing it as an oversized, inefficient body plagued by internal power struggles. Despite the Public Enterprise Act recommending councils of between 5 and 9 members, UNESWA’s Council consists of 24 members, leading to bureaucratic inefficiencies and excessive financial costs.
The chairman, in particular, is accused of running the Council with an iron grip, sidelining senior management and interfering in operational matters. The report highlights incidents where he allegedly made unilateral decisions on procurement, staffing, and university assets. In one case, he reportedly refused to allow the Vice-Chancellor to use a university vehicle, instructing him instead to use a lower-tier car.
The Siyaya report has unmasked all the people responsible for the collapse of our university and the accusations against the Council Chairman mirrors the accusations faced by former Uneswa Council Chairman Prince David. For example, one of the most damning findings relates to the chairman’s financial benefits. The report reveals that past chairmen received salaries ranging from E30,000 to E100,000 per month—an irregular practice for council positions, which are typically non-salaried. The current chairman is said to be drawing E70,000 per month, raising ethical and legal questions about how these payments were authorized.
Minister of education who commissioned the report into the mess at UNESWA
dditionally, there are allegations of favoritism in recruitment, with some staff reportedly hired at the chairman’s instruction without following due process. The Council has also been criticized for excessive meeting allowances, holding up to 18 meetings in a single year—triple the statutory limit—resulting in inflated operational costs. The task team’s findings indicate that the Council has failed in its financial oversight role, allowing UNESWA to sink into deep financial distress. Despite past government bailouts, the university remains technically insolvent, with over 90% of its budget consumed by salaries.
The Council has repeatedly ignored audit findings highlighting unauthorized expenditures, non-remittance of pensions and medical aid, and mismanagement of revenue-generating ventures. A particularly controversial issue is the handling of third-stream income initiatives like Chakaza Holdings. The report suggests that funds meant for university development have been misused, with questionable contracts awarded without competitive bidding.
In one instance, a middle manager was given a five-year contract worth E250,000 per month under dubious circumstances, with no clear oversight from the Council. The report recommends urgent governance reforms, including dissolving and reconstituting the Council to eliminate conflicts of interest and improve accountability. It also calls for a forensic audit into the financial dealings of the chairman and other senior officials to determine the full extent of alleged corruption. Critics argue that the government, which has four principal secretaries sitting on the Council, cannot escape responsibility for the crisis.
Despite being in key decision-making roles, these representatives failed to intervene or alert authorities about the university’s deteriorating state. With public trust in UNESWA’s leadership at an all-time low, pressure is mounting for the chairman and the entire Council to step down. The final report, expected in three months, will likely determine whether criminal investigations or other legal actions follow.
For now, UNESWA students and staff remain caught in the fallout of misgovernance, with delayed salaries, poor learning conditions, and an uncertain future hanging over the institution. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether the university can recover or if it will continue its downward spiral under a failed leadership structure. The sincerity of the Minister of Education Owen Nxumalo and the entire government in cleaning up the collapsed University will be tested when the final report is released and implemented.