Eswatini Labour Insight

PSU leaders at the JNF (picture credit: The SNAT Platform) After holding marathon meetings from Thursday 9 th to Friday 10 th October 2025 the Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF) parties, namely the Eswatini Government Negotiations Team (GNT)and the Public Service Unions (PSUs) took a break of a few days to allow the two parties to refresh their mandates with their principals.  It is expected that the government negotiations team will consult with the cabinet of ministers on Tuesday 14 th October 2025. In the same vein it is expected that the PSUs will conduct a report back and renewal of mandate process through a Joint General Council of all the PSUs on the same day, Tuesday 14th October 2025. The week that ended on 10th October 2025 was an eventful week for the public service collective bargaining. It swing into high gear from Monday 6th October with a well attended joint public service mass meeting at the SNAT Center in Manzini. In the joint public service mass meeting the salary ...

  Labour and Social Security Minister Phila Buthelezi (left) posing with the Board of Governors Chairperson Mzwandile Dlamini (right) and Executive Director Lomkhosi  Dlamini- Magagula (middle). (Picture courtesy of Ministry of Labour and Social Security social media platforms) Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi, on Friday 10th October 2025,  appointed the Board of Governors of the Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC) for a three (3) year term in office.  The CMAC is a key labour market dispute resolution institution established by the principal labour relations legislation in Eswatini ,the Industrial Relations Act (2000 as amended). Section 62 of the IR Act (2000 as amended), titled ,Establishment of the Conciliation ,Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC), provides for the establishment of CMAC as a an independent body corporate.  The functions of the CMAC according to section 64 of the IR (2000 as amended) include ...

Minister Phila Buthelezi  (In traditional regalia) pictured with some of the newly appointed members of the ENPF Board  (picture courtesy of Ministry of Labour and Social Security social media platforms) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze On Wednesday 08 October 2025 the Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi announced a new board for the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF).The announcement of the new board comes after the lapse of the term of office of the previous ENPF board on 15th September 2025. The previous board was chaired by TUCOSWA Secretary General Mduduzi Gina.  The newly appointed board is chaired by business person and football boss Derrick Shiba as its chairperson. The newly appointed Deputy Chairperson is Business Eswatini's Chief Executive Officer (CEO)  E. Nathi Dlamini. The rest of the newly appointed board members are Tokie Howe (Business Eswatini),Philasande Mthethwa (TUCOSWA),Wander Mkhonza (TUCOSWA) Themba Dlamini (FESBC),Phenduk...

Pictured Above: Singing of struggle songs during the PSUs Joint Mass Meeting at the SNAT Center in Manzini on Monday 6th October 2025 Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze The Joint Mass Meeting of PSUs on Monday 6th October 2025 resolved to host a protest march on the Government of Eswatini to call for the implementation of the salary review and jobs grading report that has been submitted by the joint consultancy of Umelusi and Emergency Consultancies (The Consultant) on Wednesday 8th October 2025. The joint mass meeting of the PSUs first received a report from the Secretariat of the unions on what transpired at the Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF) on Friday 03 October 2025. According to the report the government and the unions were in agreement that the Scenario 3 be utilised to implement the salary review for all public service workers. According to the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Mayibongwe Masangane, the other four scenarios did not recommend any mone...

  Pictured above: PSUs members at the entrance of the Ministry of Public services in Mbabane in June 2025. Picture by the ELI Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze The Public Services Union leaders have called a mass meeting  for all public services union members or civil servants at the SNAT Center in Manzini on Monday 06 October 2025 at 0900 in the morning. The announcement was made by the PSU leaders on Friday 03 October 2025 in their online report back session after a meeting of the Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF) where they met with the negotiating team of the Government of Eswatini. The PSUs comprise of National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), the Swaziland National Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP), the  Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) and the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU).  The mass meeting is expected to receive a report from the leaders of the PSU's on what transpired at the JNF on Friday 03 October 2025, ther...

  Pictured Above: TUCOSWA President Bheki Mamba addressing the SNAT 79th/71st Annual Conference of Delegates The president of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland ( TUCOSWA ) Comrade Bheki Mamba has called for the unity of all workers in Eswatini . President Mamba made these remarks while addressing the 79th/77th Annual Conference of the teachers union, the  Swaziland National Association of Teachers ( SNAT ) that was held in Matsapha from 26th and 28th September 2025. The conference theme stated, "Strengthening workplace organisation through massive recruitment and deepening class consciousness" The president addressed several issues in his slightly above 30 minute address at the conference including imploring SNAT to use their conference to discuss issues including the Employment Bill 2025 and its implications of the hiring of teachers, the quality of education in Eswatini , harassment and sexual abuse at the workplace ,Employment of teachers on precarious contracts, t...