The country’s much-publicised digital partnership with Google is not yet legally binding, as no formal agreement has been signed yet, e-Government Director Bonga Ndlangamandla has disclosed.
Positioned as a bold step toward modernising public service delivery through the ‘Government in Your Hand’ initiative, the collaboration was framed as a pioneering move that placed the country at the forefront of innovation on the African continent during the launch in January.
Yet, seven months later, the ministry of information, communication and technology has made it known that only a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that sets the foundation for future collaboration was signed, not a formal agreement.
Ndlangamandla made the clarification when responding to cybersecurity experts who have sounded alarm over the proposed integration of Google Workspace into government operations.
Their primary concern is hosting national data on Google’s global infrastructure contravenes the country’s Data Protection Act, undermines digital sovereignty and sidelines the country’s own Tier 4 National Data Centre.
“Adopting Google Workspace would trigger violations of several provisions of Eswatini’s data laws, including the requirement that data be hosted within national borders and that no unauthorised international data transfers take place,” said one of the cybersecurity experts, further highlighting the absence of full audit capabilities in Google’s standard offering.
In addition to these legal risks, the experts also called attention to the broader sovereignty implications of outsourcing core digital infrastructure to a foreign entity with more than 160 sub-processors worldwide.
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According to them, this would not only compromise national autonomy, but also render the government dependent on external systems for everyday operations.
“The Data Protection Act, under the oversight of the Eswatini Communications Commission, lays down strict requirements around data handling, including residency, consent and cross-border transfers, which the Google deal completely goes against,” they emphasised.
In response, Director of e-Government Bonga Ndlangamandla said the critics were jumping the gun.
“Much of the criticism appears to have been based on the assumption that the country had already on-boarded its data onto Google’s infrastructure, a scenario that has not yet materialised,” he explained.
He emphasised that the ministry was still in the exploratory phase and was carefully evaluating all compliance issues before any formal commitment was made. The MoU, he explained, merely outlines shared intentions, not enforceable obligations, arguing therefore, that the claims that the country has already violated local data protection laws are not only incorrect, but also risk derailing meaningful dialogue.
He insisted that the ministry it is not oblivious to these concerns and assured the nation that they were actively consulting legal and technical experts to determine the most suitable arrangement, one that safeguards national interests while also harnessing the benefits of international innovation.
“At the heart of this careful balancing act is a clear recognition that digital transformation cannot be pursued at the expense of compliance or sovereignty,” he said.
“The ministry’s position is that national laws must be respected, but global partnerships should not be dismissed outright based on speculation,” he added.
The e-government director contended that dismissing the entire collaboration based on early concerns, risks undermining an initiative that could yield valuable digital and educational dividends for the country.
“It would be unwise to ignore the strategic benefits that partners like Google may offer, from skills development and innovation funding to tools that enhance digital literacy among citizens. The challenge is not whether to partner, but how to partner,” he stated.
During the launch in January, Minister of ICT Savannah Maziya described the initiative as a gateway to economic transformation, particularly through skills development, youth entrepreneurship and access to global technology.
“This partnership is a step towards positioning Eswatini as a leader in the digital economy, unlocking opportunities for our people, especially the youth. With 70 per cent of our population being the youth, this initiative lays the foundation for creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship and accelerating sustainable economic development,” said the minister.
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