The Eswatini Institute of Accountants (ESIA) is intensifying its efforts to uphold ethical standards in the accounting profession.
Speaking at the annual ESIA ethics seminar held at Happy Valley held earlier this week, Executive Director Dr. Ndiphethe Mabila revealed that three accountants are currently under investigation for unethical practices.
He urged members of the public to report suspicious activities to ensure accountability within the industry. Dr. Mabila emphasized that unethical accountants risk losing their professional certification if found guilty of misconduct.
“ESIA is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct within the accounting industry. Ethics in this industry are very important, as an unethical accountant can bring down an entire company by stealing money from that organization. For 2025, we are already investigating three accountants for alleged unethical behavior. The investigations are conducted by our ethics committee, and if found guilty, these accountants will be stripped of their accounting titles. Once we have stripped them of their titles, they can no longer operate under these titles, and if they choose to ignore their expulsion and continue to operate and sign using their removed title, then criminal charges can be brought against them,” he said.
ESIA is, established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 (Act No. 5 of 1985) and serves as the primary regulatory body for the accounting and auditing profession in Eswatini.
According to information sourced from accountants at the event, in Eswatini we have accountants aho specialize in various areas these being:
- Chartered Accountants (CAs) which are highly skilled professionals involved in auditing, taxation, and financial management. Membership with ESIA is mandatory for these types of accountants.
- Next we have Management Accountants. These focus on internal financial processes and cost management within businesses, ensuring compliance with accounting standards.
Lastly we have Public Accountants these accountants provide services such as tax preparation and audits to small businesses and individuals.
Each type of accountant operates within a distinct area, with different responsibilities and certification requirements.
Dr. Mabila encouraged the public to play an active role in maintaining ethical standards within the industry by reporting accountants suspected of unethical conduct.
“All accountants should be registered with ESIA. Members of the public should help us and keep the accounting profession ethical. We urge the public to report any unethical accountants to us so that we can investigate and pass judgment on these individuals. When investigations are complete, we will add the individual’s name to the list of suspended accountants on our website, which has about 117 entries,” he added.