Africa-Press – Eswatini. Government has made a firm yet measured appeal to public servants to exercise patience and understanding as it prioritises the full implementation of the ongoing salary review, while deferring salary notching to 2027 in line with fiscal realities.
Speaking to this publication on the evening of 15 April following engagements with Public Service Unions, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Mthunzi Shabangu, clarified that government remains committed to honouring its financial obligations, with a strong focus on ensuring that civil servants receive their outstanding salary review payments in July.
He confirmed that E1.6 billion has already been secured and budgeted for the July payouts, covering the outstanding 85 per cent owed to workers following last year’s salary review agreement. This move is expected to significantly boost incomes across the public service, with some employees set to benefit from increases ranging between 30 and 69 per cent.
While acknowledging the importance of notching, Shabangu explained that implementing it immediately would require an additional E195 million, funds that are currently not available within the national budget.
“The priority now is to ensure that civil servants receive what has already been committed under the salary review. The money is there, and it has been budgeted for,” he stated.
He further explained that during last year’s negotiations under the Joint Negotiation Forum (JNF), there was a shared understanding between government and unions that the salary review would be fully implemented first, before notching could be considered. He noted, however, that unions have disputed this understanding, arguing that staggering the salary review suggested that government did not have sufficient budget.
“As government, we were not of the same view as the unions. Our understanding was that notching would only be implemented once the full salary review had been settled,” he said.
Government’s position reflects a broader strategy to maintain fiscal discipline while safeguarding the sustainability of the public wage bill, one of the largest components of national expenditure.
Authorities have underscored that public sector salaries are funded through national revenue, including taxes contributed by both public and private sector workers, making a balanced and sustainable approach essential.
Government has called for continued dialogue and cooperation, urging civil servants to recognise the scale of the salary review intervention already underway.
“This is a significant milestone. Such increases are rare and demonstrate government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its workers,” Shabangu noted.
While unions have expressed concerns, government remains optimistic that ongoing engagements will yield constructive outcomes that preserve stability and service delivery.
As the July payouts approach, attention now shifts to the successful implementation of the salary review, an important step that reinforces government’s dedication to improving livelihoods while maintaining economic balance.
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