Africa-Press – Eswatini. It’s all systems go for the budget speech this morning according to Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg.
He said his team and everything else was ready on their side and he foresaw no challenges.
The minister was interviewed briefly yesterday afternoon following the postponement of the budget speech which was supposed to take place last Friday, but was cancelled at the 11th hour due to some technicalities according to Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba.
The minister is expected to formally present his first budget speech for the 12th Parliament.
“As normal all the media that would like to hear a pre-briefing is invited to my office at 9am and we can share the budget with them,” Rijkenberg said. He added that this would obviously be embargoed until he formally makes his presentation before the House of Assembly.
The minister said this would later be released on other platforms like social media once he had finished his speech. Rijkenberg is also expected to table several government documents such as the auditor general’s report, book of estimates, and the report of the accountant general’s office.
Last year, the minister presented a E24.6 billion budget. Some economists are optimistic that the 2024/25 budget might be increased this year following a higher dividend from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) which the minister announced to be at E11.75 billion while the minister also reported that the Eswatini Revenue Authority had collected about E12 billion.
Although the minister played his cards close to his chest, there have been many sectors calling for an increase in their different portfolios.
Public Sector Associations have once again let it known that they hope that government will consider a salary review or even implement a cost of living adjustment while workers in the health sector have called for government to immediately address the medical crisis and ensure that health workers are retained. Members of the public have also called for an increase in social grants while workers have called that there be put in place a minimum public wage and the creation of jobs.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
