·         Principal Secretary

·         National civil registrar

·         Members of the media

I extend my greetings to all of you.

We did not anticipate this day last year. The whole world has been turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the resilience of humanity will overcome this challenge.  In order for Eswatini and the world to win this battle, it is important to observe all health protocols as provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health.

Today, August 10 marks the day that the African continent commemorates the Third Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day under the theme “Civil Registration and Vital Statistics: An Essential Service for Monitoring and Mitigating the Impact of Emergencies”. It is unfortunate that this year the day is commemorated in the midst of the crippling coronavirus pandemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and affected millions across the globe.

Civil registration is defined by United Nations as the universal, compulsory, continuous, permanent and confidential recording of the occurrence of all vital events. It is an invaluable source for comprehensive, regular and detailed vital statistics.

Functioning civil registration systems provide people with legal identity documents, starting with a birth certificate that proves their legal status and help to safeguard their rights throughout their lives.

The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini recognizes Civil Registration as an essential service hence we have ensured its continuity even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Service Centers are operational registering only current Births, Deaths and recently Marriages.

However, some services remain disrupted or completely unavailable. Arrangements are being made for a smooth resumption of services and appropriate management of the backlog when normality returns. The Civil registration department shall prepare contingency plans to meet post-pandemic demand for registration services. Other interventions to deal with the backlog will be strategized accordingly to ensure excellence of service delivery.

LEGAL IDENTITY AS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE

Civil Registration is a fundamental legal right enshrined in Article 6 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights that provide individuals with legal identity documents starting with a birth certificate that prove their legal status and help to safeguard their rights throughout their lives. This right can never be restricted nor be suspended, even in an emergency.

However, emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic and other natural disasters have left people without proof of legal identity and hence the affected people may not be able to acquire a nationality and become stateless.

LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

Indeed, Emergencies like the current COVID-19 pandemic are disruptive for the provision of civil registration services. The current pandemic has shown the vulnerabilities of the civil registration system when actually the services are required the most.

Evidence shows that social distancing, restricted movement, and general apathy by the populace to go to registration centres as a result of the country’s partial lockdown hindered civil registration. However, it pleases government that the Ministry was able to provide real-time data needed to manage the crisis including its socio-economic effects.

The fact that civil registration services are obtained under one roof in this Kingdom puts us as a shining example within the SADC region. This is evidenced by the number of countries who choose to benchmark with our system.  However, the demand for registration services remains weak not only in Eswatini but in the entire continent because many people have no adequate awareness about the importance of civil registration for them and their families, and the implications it has for improving access to core government services. African CRVS Day observed every year is meant to help improve public awareness on the importance of making everyone visible in Africa through universal birth registration and certification.

Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Ministry of Home Affairs shall continue to provide excellent civil registration services while ensuring safety of the public and the workforce at all times. The planned mopping exercise which is expected to be rolled out before long will ensure that all qualifying Emaswati are registered. We are confident that this exercise will be a resounding success and speed up the registration of all citizens.

With these words I wish the Eswatini nation and the entire African continent a wonderful Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day!!!

I thank you!!!

RELEASED BY: HRH Princess Lindiwe

                        Minister for Home Affairs

DATE: 10^th August 2020

PRESS STATEMENT

MINISTERIAL GUIDELINES FOLLOWING MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SERVICE CIRCULAR NO.3 OF 2020

Following the Ministry of Public Service Circular No.3 of 2020 to effect a suspension of non-essential government services from the 6^th April to the 15^th of April 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs herein further scales down operations to continue with only most critical operations in a drive to reduce the spread of coronavirus as follows:

• To process only current registration of vital events – birth and death certificates
• All other services related to Civil Registration are forthwith suspended.
• The Government of the Republic of Mozambique has closed Goba Border. This has a consequential closure effect on Mhlumeni Border on Eswatini side as of Friday the 3^rd of April 2020. All travel for essential goods and services between Eswatini and Mozambique should be directed to Lomahasha Border which remains operational. Nonetheless, the country’s other six (6) land ports of entry (i.e. Ngwenya, Matsamo, Mananga, Lavumisa, Mahamba, and Lomahasha) remain operational.
• All suspended services considered as emergencies shall be directed to the Headquarters in Mbabane.

This statement complements the statement that the Ministry issued in the previous week on Tuesday 31^st March 2020. Over and above, the Ministry wishes to encourage Emaswati to take all necessary precautions as advised by the Ministry of Health during this period of COVID-19 pandemic.

Released by: Minister for Home Affairs HRH Princess Lindiwe

Date: 06 April 2020

The Ministry of Home Affairs today held training workshop at the Mountain Inn Hotel in Mbabane with different religious stakeholders on increasing religious gathering during the Kingdom of Eswatini COVID-19 partial lockdown .

The workshop came following the issuance of new Covid_19 guidelines for religious gatherings by Hounarable Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini on Friday the 3^rd of July 2020. The Prime Minister announced that places of worship will need to obtain a compliance permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to operate. Assessment will be made for each applicant to determine readiness.  “The full observance of two meter (2m) distance between individuals will determine the numbers allowed indoors” said Dlamini.

Some 40 religious leaders, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) volunteers and officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs took part in the workshop. The workshop focused on the new covid-19 regulations and the application process to obtain authority to increase religious gatherings. The workshop also aimed at enabling Home Affairs officials and NDMA Volunteers on integral elements to consider when assessing religious institutions before authorization. Besides the workshop focused on informing religious leaders on the application forms collection points.

The Application Forms are accessible in the following collection points:  

                     i.            Ministry of Home Affairs Offices Headquarters (communications unit and all regional Immigration Departments)

                   ii.            Regional Administration Offices (Regional Secretary)

                  iii.            Faith Based Institutions Mother Bodies

                 iv.            Government  and NDMA websites

Applicants to complete Forms and completed Forms to be returned to the Ministry of Home Affairs Offices and Regional Administration Offices.

The places of worship readiness inspection to be conducted by designated officers who will then make recommendations.  Once inspection has been concluded, the Forms will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters and Regional Offices for Approval. furthermore, Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs will issue Authority Document stating the maximum number of people allowed per service in a room.

Nonetheless, designated compliance teams will conduct constant monitoring and evaluation of all approved areas and report to the Chiefdom faith based organisations and defaulters to be charged in accordance with the provisions of Covid-19 Regulations.

For media queries contact:

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION

In response to the COVID-19 declaration as a National Emergency by His Majesty the King on 17 March, 2020 in the Kingdom of Eswatini with immediate effect, the Ministry of Home Affairs undertakes to act as follows:

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GATHERINGS ATTRACTING 50 OR MORE PEOPLE

• As announced by the Right Honourable Prime Minister all combined Good Friday and Easter Sunday services remain suspended. As the situation improves the Good Friday service will be held on Ascension Day. 
• Good Friday and Easter Monday holidays will continue to stand as such.
• The 52^nd Birthday celebration of His Majesty King Mswati III scheduled for Shiselweni Region is cancelled as announced by The Right Honourable Prime Minister. The budget for the celebration will be reallocated to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Private and public gatherings should not exceed the number 50 of people in attendance.

CROSS-BORDER TRAVEL

• The six land border posts with the Republic of South Africa remain closed namely: Lundzi, Bulembu, Sandlane, Nsalitje, Sicunusa and Gege.
• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the following there are countries identified as COVID-19 high risk, to that end the Kingdom of Eswatini will restrict entry to nationals of the above and/or to travelers from the same until the situation normalizes.
• Working with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Home Affairs will keep a record of travelers in order to identify people travelling from the high risk countries.
• Emaswati and residents of the country are also discouraged to visit the countries identified as high risk.
• Non-essential travel is prohibited. Emaswati engaging on non-essential travel shall be denied exit at the border posts. Non-essential travel includes but not limited to travel for leisure or holiday, shopping, sports, visits etc. Examples of essential travel includes travel for: official, company/organisational business and for medical reasons.
• Visas to enter Eswatini already issued to citizens of countries identified as COVID-19 high risk are hereby considered revoked with immediate effect.

 MALINDZA REFUGEE RECEPTION CENTRE

• The Ministry will create a control management system for Refugees and Asylum seekers to restrict movement in and out of the Reception Centre.
• The Ministry will create sensitization/education programs for refugees and asylum seekers at the Malindza Centre.
• The Ministry will provide sanitization buckets in strategic points, residential blocks and toilets at the Centre.
• An isolation room will be reserved for those Refugees and Asylum seekers that present symptoms of COVID-19 at the Centre before they are referred for medical attention.
• All planned events at the center are hereby cancelled with immediate effect.

PREVENTION MEASURES FOR STAFF AND CLIENTS

• It is the Ministry’s top priority to safe guard health and safety of staff members as well as clients.
• The Ministry will continue to keep track of COVID-19 developments as advised by the Ministry of Health.
• Working with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry will provide training sessions on the importance of strict hygiene and other measures of controlling the spread of the virus.
• The Ministry shall provide sanitizers and disinfectants in the work place.
• Working desks and work stations will be constantly cleaned with sanitizers.
• Strategies will be employed to manage queues and avoid congestion at service centres. For example, the issuance of number tokens to clients.
• The public is advised to delay seeking the Ministry’s services if service required is not an emergency.
• The Ministry will continue to deliver excellent services to the public in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Released by:

Honorable Minister for Home Affairs - HRH Princess Lindiwe

 Date: 20^th March 2020

Media Enquires: Mlandvo A. Dlamini – Ministerial Communications Officer                          

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Cell: +268 7606 3938/ 78051895