Thousands of job seekers across Eswatini have flocked to regional police headquarters to submit applications for positions within the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), in a massive turnout that highlights the growing demand for employment opportunities in the country.
The recruitment drive follows the announcement made by His Majesty King Mswati III during the recent Police Day celebrations, when he announced the recruitment initiative. The Royal Eswatini Police Service subsequently advertised vacancies for Constable II (Cadres) positions last week, prompting job seekers to come forward with their applications.
The exercise, conducted across the country’s regions, attracted overwhelming numbers of aspiring police officers on Monday, the first day of submitting applications which the last day is Wednesday, with some applicants reportedly arriving at recruitment centres as early as 3am in an attempt to beat the long queues and secure an opportunity to submit their applications. 
In Manzini, hopeful candidates formed an extraordinarily long queue stretching from the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters to St Theresa High School, as scores of applicants turned out to compete for the advertised positions.
A similar situation was witnessed at the Hhohho Regional Police Headquarters in Mbabane, where thousands of aspiring recruits reportedly gathered to submit their documents. The long queues demonstrated the level of interest in joining the police service, with applicants required to comply with regional recruitment arrangements.
At the Mbabane recruitment centre, applicants were informed that only those whose chiefdom codes fall under the Hhohho Region would have their applications accepted, as the recruitment exercise follows regional allocations.
In the Lubombo Region, hundreds of hopeful candidates also turned up at the Siteki Regional Police Headquarters, with some applicants reporting that they had arrived as early as 4am to stand in the queue.
Applicants in Lubombo were advised to personally submit their application documents rather than entrusting them to other people. They were also warned against individuals claiming to have connections within the police service and demanding money in exchange for assistance with recruitment.
The police emphasised the importance of following official recruitment procedures, warning applicants against falling victim to people promising to secure them positions through unofficial channels.
