MBABANE – Finances are tight, but Neal Rijkenberg says civil servants should worry not.
Rijkenberg says government remains committed to paying civil servants the outstanding 85 per cent of their salary review backpay in July, despite ongoing cash flow challenges.
This, he said, when responding to concerns about whether government would be able to honour the commitment as appended in the Collective Agreement of public sector unions (PSUs) and government on October 16, 2025.
Rijkenberg said the payment remained a priority and that government had no choice but to deliver on promises it had already made.
“At the bottom line, if we promised it, we have to deliver. We don’t have a choice as government,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing anxiety among civil servants, many of whom have questioned whether the payment would be made on schedule given government’s financial constraints and delays in settling some obligations.
While acknowledging that cash flow challenges persist, the minister said salaries and employee-related payments remained a top priority.
“At the moment, there are cash flow challenges. There are definitely problems with making payments. But when it comes to salaries every month, we prioritise those,” he said.
Rijkenberg said government was still on track to pay the outstanding backpay in July and indicated that expected revenue from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) would play a key role in honouring the promise.
“For that reason, when SACU money comes in July, we’ll prioritise the payments to civil servants,” he said.
Government had previously committed to paying the remaining 85 per cent of the six-month salary review backpay in July 2026 after an initial 15 per cent payment was made in October last year. The payment is expected to inject millions of emalangeni into the economy while providing relief to thousands of public servants and their families.
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