RQID HONOURS QUALITY PIONEERS ARMSTRONG, HENSON

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade (MCIT) Regulatory and Quality Infrastructure Department (RQID) has honoured two quality pioneers for the positive contribution they made to the development of the country’s quality infrastructure.

The two, Armstrong and Henson Nkomiyahlaba (both Dlamini) were recognised during the Eswatini National Quality Awards held at Royal Swazi Spa Banqueting Hall on November 9, 2018. They are both retired civil servants.

Armstrong started working as an Assize officer between 1974- 1976 in the then Ministry of Commerce and Co-operatives and was promoted to be an inspector of Weights and Measures in 1976; a position he held until 1991.

According Chief Quality Systems Administrator Phindile Dlamini, during his tenure, Armstrong worked tirelessly to ensure that accurate measurement impacting on trade, health and safety were provided.

“He was very instrumental in raising awareness on the importance of accurate measurement in trade. He represented the Kingdom of Eswatini in many fora both nationally and regionally,” Dlamini said.

Henson, on the other hand, started working at the Eswatini College of Eswatini as a lecturer before joining the then Ministry of Enterprise and Employment to establish the Standards and Quality Assurance Section.

“Being alone in the office, Henson Dlamini worked tirelessly to ensure that the Section was fulfilling its mandate. The Government of Eswatini could not hire officers to work with him up until in 2000, he was joined by the Standards Information Officer who was manning the Library and in 2001, and he was again joined by another officer, the Quality Assurance Officer,” Dlamini said.

She added that Henson represented Eswatini in the region and internationally and he actively participated in different fora in and out of the country. He also presented many papers at national and international in the area of SQAM. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Eswatini Standards Authority (SWASA) in 2007.

2018 ESWATINI NATIONAL QAULITY AWARDS WINNERS

CATEGORY	AWARD	TROPHY / CERTIFICATE	ORGANIZATION
Category 1 -  Eswatini  Organization of the Year - Large Enterprise	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	Eswatini Railway
Category 2 – Eswatini Product of the Year - Large Enterprise	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	Swaziland Meat Industries
	1st Runner-Up	Certificate – 1st Runner-Up	National Maize Corporation
Category 3 – Eswatini Service of the Year - Large Enterprise	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	Eswatini Railway
	1st Runner-Up	Certificate – 1st Runner-Up	Stefanutti Stocks Construction Swaziland (PTY) Ltd
Category 3 - Eswatini Service of the Year - Micro Small and Medium Enterprise	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	Lubombo Referral Hospital Ministry of Health
	1st Runner-Up	Certificate – 1st Runner-Up	Mankayane Government Hospital – Ministry of Health
	2nd Runner-Up	Certificate – 2nd Runner-Up	Bholi Clinic – Ministry of Health
Category 5 - Eswatini Quality  Ambassador of the Year	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	Sicelo Mashwama
	1st Runner-Up	Certificate – 1st Runner-Up	Thabang Masangane
	2nd Runner-Up	Certificate – 2nd Runner-Up	Sandile Dlamini
Category 6 - Eswatini Conformity Assessment Body of the Year	Winner	Trophy – Award Winner Certificate – Award Winner	National Molecular Reference Laboratory
	1st Runner-Up	Certificate – 1st Runner-Up	Swaziland Water Services Corporation Laboratory