BUDGET SPEECH: CIVIL SERVANTS EXPECTAT LEAST 20% PAY REVIEW

MANZINI – As the Finance Minister announces his budget tomorrow, some civil servants are clear on what they want: ‘Nothing less than 20 per cent in their salary review!’
Neal Rijkenberg, according to the expectations of the civil servants, has to find about E1.72 billion to fund the current wage bill, which stands at E8.6 billion, as per the Ministry of Public Service Second Quarter Report for the Year Ended 2024/25. Based on the mid-term budget presented on November 13, 2024, Rijkenberg projected that total expenditure is expected to reach E32.8 billion in the upcoming financial year, with E26.2 billion designated for recurrent spending and E6.6 billion for capital expenditure.  

Ungraded

There are over 43 751 civil servants, according to the Establishment Register that supports the Estimates of Public Expenditure for the 2024/25 financial year. It states that there are currently 40 096 graded civil service posts alongside an additional of 3 655 ungraded positions. Meanwhile, public service employees expressed excitement about receiving a salary review this year and anticipated that the national budget would accommodate it. They stated that for it to be meaningful, Rijkenberg should budget not less than 20 per cent of their current monthly salary.

Others hope the budget will review their salaries upwards, inclusive of housing, transport, and hardship allowances. Their reasoning was that the national budget should include a provision of between 20 and 40 per cent of the wage bill. Alternatively, they hope Rijkenberg would set aside at least 10 per cent of the national budget for the 2025/26 financial year to implement the salary review exercise. Civil servants’ salaries were last reviewed during the 2016/17 financial year. If all goes according to plan, the ongoing salary review can only be implemented during the 2025/26 financial year.

Those who demand nothing less than a 20 per cent increase per grade argue that for three consecutive years (2017/18 to 2019/20), they received zero per cent as a cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA). Subsequently, in the past five financial years (2020/21 to 2024/25), they received between three and four per cent annually as CoLA, which was far below the inflation rate during those financial years. They stated that inflation had eroded their salaries over the years.

Additionally, they cited the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Russia-Ukraine war and the civil unrest in June/July 2021, which caused a rapid increase in the cost of living. Considering these factors, they believe they deserve nothing less than a 20 per cent salary increase under the ongoing salary review exercise. The Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Secretary General, Mayibongwe Masangane, stated that they expect competitive salaries after the implementation of the salary review exercise. He added that they also look forward to being awarded sound allowances.

Allowance

Currently, civil servants’ travelling allowance is capped at about E0.17/km, while their housing allowance is around E650/month. Masangane raised the issue of allowances because the 2016/17 salary review exercise recommended an increase in allowances, but government did not implement it, citing a lack of funds. He suggested that the current salary review exercise should use the recommendations of the 2016/17 exercise as a benchmark. He also noted that the cost of living continues to rise due to increases in water and electricity tariffs. Towards the end of 2024, government approved a 12 per cent water tariff increase, staggered over three years. Recently, government approved electricity tariff increases of eight per cent in 2025/26 and seven per cent in 2026/27. 

The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General, Lot Vilakati, stated that considering the demands they have tabled since the 2017/18 financial year, which government disregarded for three consecutive years before awarding them less than half of what they demanded, they deserve at least a 40 per cent salary increase on average. He remarked that a 10 per cent increase or anything similar cannot be regarded as a salary review but, rather as CoLA.  Regarding how much of the national budget should be set aside to implement the salary review recommendations, Vilakati said it would be difficult to specify a percentage, as this should be informed by the conclusions of the review exercise.

Implementation

He emphasised that government should reserve enough funds for implementation. The National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) Acting Secretary General, Msimeto Malindzisa, acknowledged that while their members are excited about the salary review exercise, there are fears that their expectations might exceed what they will ultimately receive. He explained that, according to their analysis, government, through its parastatals, appears more focused on generating profit than on properly remunerating civil servants.

Malindzisa noted that their members hope the salary review will improve their pay scale to compensate for the past eight years, during which they received zero per cent CoLA for three consecutive years, followed by three to four per cent annually for five years—figures below the inflation rates of those years.  The Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP) Secretary General, Phumzile Masilela, stated that they expect the salary review exercise to be implemented this year.  She emphasised the need for a significant salary increase, as their salaries were last reviewed during the 2016/17 financial year.

Over the past eight years, they have received CoLA adjustments below the inflation rate.  Masilela added that in the 2025/26 Budget Speech, they do not expect government to announce how much will be set aside for the salary review. Instead, they believe the review’s recommendations should inform the government of the required amount for implementation.
The government is anticipated to allocate approximately E3.1 billion to the salary review and the hiring of new employees within the civil service. This figure represents the difference between the projected recurrent expenditure budget of E26.2 billion for the 2025/26 financial year and the E23.1 billion for the 2024/25 financial year.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: