Business
Companies Act 8 of 2009 with Registrar registration and Roman-Dutch commercial law
The Companies Act 8 of 2009 replaced the 1912 Act, modernising incorporation and governance. Underlying commercial law is Roman-Dutch, received through the Cape. The Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority operates as the investment facilitation point.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Registrar of Companies registers; the High Court hears company disputes.
- Deadline — Annual return: filed with the Registrar of Companies each year
- Deadline — Trading licence required in addition to incorporation
Governing law
- Companies Act 8 of 2009
- Insolvency Act 81 of 1955
- Financial Institutions Act 6 of 2005
In practice
As in Lesotho, insolvency rests on a 1950s statute with no modern rescue procedure, so restructuring options are limited to liquidation and compromise — a material constraint given the economy's dependence on a small number of large employers.