MBABANE – Government’s decision not to pay civil servants early this month has been described by the Public Sector Unions (PSUs) of Swaziland as disturbing.
The PSUs also decried the lack of engagement before the decision to pay them on their normal pay day was taken. Government confirmed that it will not issue early payments this festive season due to mounting cash flow constraints.
The Minister for Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, announced yesterday that salaries for established civil servants will be paid on December 20, while temporary employees will be paid on December 23. This marks a deviation from the long-standing practice of early festive-season disbursements.
Rijkenberg stated that normal pay dates are necessary to maintain cash flow stability at a time when government is managing increased financial pressures.
He assured, however, that January 2026 salaries will be released earlier than usual to ease the back-to-school financial burden for public sector employees.
Reacting to the announcement, PSUs expressed deep dissatisfaction, noting that government’s decision not to pay civil servants early this month was disturbing.
The Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Secretary General, Mayibongwe Masangane, described decried that government did not consult all stakeholders before taking such a decision and making a public announcement. He argued that paying civil servants early in December had become an expectation. Masangane maintained that if there was to be any change to this expectation, all stakeholders should have been engaged beforehand.
Similarly, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General, Lot Vilakati, stated that government’s decision shocked them because it reversed a practice it had introduced and maintained over the years. He explained that SNAT members had committed to financial assistance providers that they would pay back the money before the normal paydays, relying on the early payment of their December salaries over the years. Vilakati also expressed concern about union members who are paid on the last day of every calendar month, noting that they also deserve to enjoy Christmas.
He further highlighted the practical implications of the change, noting that being paid on their normal payday, which is the 21st, means workers will have the opportunity to buy Christmas goods when towns and cities are already crowded. He suggested that this situation has the potential to increase crime as the streets will be overcrowded due to the increased movement of people and money close to the holiday.
Meanwhile, the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) Acting Secretary General, Msimeto Malindzisa, commented that when it suits government, it does as it pleases, asserting that the decision is not good for civil servants.
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