Over 3 500 jobs created within 6 months

MBABANE – Over 3 500 jobs were created in just three months, driven by employment growth initiatives from the government and private sector.

These job opportunities were created through various programmes initiated by government to eradicate unemployment, which currently stands at 35.7 per cent with 48.7 per cent being the youth.

Government, through its initiatives and partnering with the private sector, jointly created more than 3 500 jobs in the past three months, according to the latest second quarterly reports. Within the civil service alone, the Ministry of Public Service reported that it issued authorities for the Ministry of Education and Training to fill vacant posts.

These posts include that of the legal advisor and legal officer (TSC), head teacher and deputy head teacher, inspector of schools and teacher posts to designated schools. Also, the Ministry of Public Service reported that in the period between July 1, 2025 and September 30, it granted authority to the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development to fill the vacant position of community development officer.

It was further reported that the Mabulala Maseko-led ministry also granted authority for a waiver to the Treasury and Stores Department to fill vacant positions of one financial controller, two principal accountants and two accountant posts. Also, the department was awarded a waiver for the redeployment of three heavy duty drivers.

The report states that the ministry also issued authority to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (Central Statistical Office) to engage an undisclosed number of staff on temporary terms for the 2027 Population and Housing Census (Project Number – G60599); to engage staff on temporary terms for the 2025/26 Economic Statistics Survey (Eswatini Economic Census), Project Number G52699; and to extend the engagement of five project officers, two assistant statistician, one statistician, one IT specialist and one driver, for a period of 12 months for the Eswatini Annual Agricultural Survey 2025/2026, Project No. G57599.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Service granted authority to the Ministry of Health to fill permanent posts for the Renal Dialysis Unit; for contract renewal for a warehouse assistant at the Central Medical Stores; for the creation of posts and recruitment for the new health facility organisational structure; to engage 72 spray operators; to fill newly-created pharmacy cadre positions; and for the Central Medical Stores to use Tender No.223 of 2024/25 to hire a service provider for the cleaning and hygiene services as part of the alternative service delivery (ASD).

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Retrenchments surge 63 per cent, affects over 2 000 workers

MBABANE – Retrenchments increased by 63 per cent, affecting 2 056 employees across 16 redundancies in the quarter under review.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security reported that during the quarter under review, a total of 16 redundancies were reported, affecting 2 056 employees, compared to six redundancies involving 133 employees in 2024 and 14 redundancies affecting 1 072 employees in 2023.

This, it was said, indicates a 63 per cent increase in reported retrenchments, with a total of 1 923 employees losing their jobs in the process. The ministry reported that the sudden surge in redundancies is a result of the United States Presidential Order reducing funding to member states under the PEPFAR Project.

The report reads in part: “During the second quarter of 2025, the unregulated (Other) sector recorded the highest proportion of redundancies at 31 per cent, with a total of 171 employees affected.

The textiles and apparel sector, although recording only two cases of redundancies, accounted for the highest number of affected employees — 572 in total, representing 28 per cent of all retrenched employees.”

It was also reported that the security sector also recorded two cases of redundancies and ranked second highest, with 560 employees affected, representing 27 per cent of the total, while the mining and quarrying sector ranked third, with 436 employees affected, translating to 21 per cent of the total retrenched employees.

The ministry also reported that the wholesale, retail and distributive trade sector, despite being the second most frequently reported with three cases of redundancies, accounted for only 202 employees affected, representing 10 per cent of the total.

*Full article available in our publication.