Africa-Press – Eswatini. Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo, the Secretary General of the Royal Eswatini Police Service Staff Association(REPOSA) has released a statement, condemning the decision by the eSwatini Government to award junior officers a mere two per-percent(2%) salary increment.
The junior police officers who were made to work for over ten(10) years without an increment, will have their salaries increased by only thirty-five Rands(R35.00) after tax deductions. Government refused to implement a Phase two(II) 2014 Circular that was to increase the junior cops salaries and align with other security officers within the Southern African Development Community(SADC).
In a statement sent by the Police Union Executive Committee, the Office of the Secretary General informed junior officers about a march to the Ministry of Public Service on a date to be communicated in due course and this, comes after the eSwatini Government delayed the implementation of the salary review.
“The Royal Eswatini Police Staff Association, the body entity representing Police Officers within the workplace as duly established by the Police Act through Section 67 has taken upon itself to sensitize members of the association on the issue of delayed implementation of salary review. This act by the Government of excluding and sidelining Police Officers and other sister forces in the security cluster was uncalled for”, the REPOSA Secretary General said through the statement.
Sergeant Dumsile Khumalo further accused the Police Executive Command of hijacking the salary review process for personal benefit.
“We wish to remind our members that NATCOM is not our employer but the Government and therefore should desist in hijacking matters relating to remunerations. We call upon our members to gear up for an unprecedented shutdown of daily operations and a long march to the Ministry of Public Service should the implementation of the review be rescheduled or postponed to anytime other than November 2025 as Government committed itself. Any unfair implementation of the review will be a green light for turning the streets blue”, reads the statement in part.
Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the Police Spokesperson, declined to comment about the matter.
On another note, despite the huge outcry within the Police Service, sources within the Police Union Executive told this publication that, National Commissioner Vusi Manoma Masango might have his salary increased by close to one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00).
A draft report communicated during a meeting this week allegedly recommended thirty-seven percent(37%) increment while other senior officers received between eighteen percent(18%) and thirty-three percent(33%).
“But there’s no official report,the Consultant reviewing the salaries met the Executive members of the Correctional Services and Police Staff Associations and verbally communicated these figures saying a comprehensive report will be released in due course. So we can see what they are trying to do here,” said the source within the Police Staff Association.
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