Eswatini Labour Insight

  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...

  NAPSAWU Acting General Secretary Comrade Msimeto Malindzisa (Picture Credit: NAPSAWU Facebook page) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze On Sunday 21 September 2025 public sector trade union, the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) announced that they would be commencing with nationwide membership consultations on the salary review report on Monday 22 and on Tuesday 23 September 2025.  The announcement was made by the NAPSAWU Acting General Secretary (AGS) Comrade Msimeto Malindzisa on the union’s facebook page. AGS Msimeto announced that they are commencing with the consultations after being contacted by the consultant on Friday 19 th September 2025 whereat the union was given the green light to commence consultations with members on the report . The AGS further announced that each of the four region of Eswatini would host two consultation meetings, at two different towns, one to be held at 10 am and another at 1400hrs on each of the two days. ...

Public Services workers protesting in Mbabane (Credit: File picture) Witten by Fundizwi Sikhondze   The Eswatini Minister for Finance Neal Rijkenberg is suspected to have compromised collective bargaining or negotiations in the public service. The minister made the now controversial remarks on Tuesday 26th August 2025 while conducting what could be seen as a routine interview with state broadcasting channel, the Eswatini Television for their news feature, Market View.  During the interview when the subject of the salary review was broached the Minister expressed fear that financial constraints on the government may make the recommendations difficult to implement. "As a government as you know we have provided half a billion as a pre-emptive budget amount for salary review, To try and find more money in this year's budget will be very very be difficult and so unfortunately if the salary review is showing to be a much higher number we going to have to probably maybe negotiate wit...

  Pictured Above: Ministry of Public Service and Administration Principal Secretary Mthunzi Shabangu (L) receiving the Pre Final Salary Review and Jobs Grading report from Emergency Growth/Umelusi Consulting's Siphephiso Dlamini (R). Picture credit: SNAT Platform. Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze The pre final draft report of the public service Salary Review and Jobs Grading report was released to the participants of Joint Negotiations Forum on Tuesday 9 th September 2025 by the consultancy team, a partnership comprising of Emergency Growth and Umalusi Consultancy. The report was symbolically delivered to the leader of the government negotiations team and Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Public Service and Administration, Mthunzi Shabangu. The Public Sector Unions, namely, National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU),the Swaziland National Government Accountants Personnel (SNAGAP), Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) and the Swaziland Democratic ...

  PSU leaders at the Ministry of Public Service in Mbabane on 02 July 2025 (Picture Credit: Eswatini Labour Insight) Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze (Eswatini Labour Insight Publisher) The public services workers represented by the Public Services Unions (PSUs) - namely the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP), the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) - continue with their wait for the delivery of salary review report by the consultant, a joint venture of Umelusi Consultants and Emergency Growth Consultancy project.  The delays in the release of the report two weeks after the delivery of the draft report on the 15th August 2025 continue to cause tensions between the PSUs and the Eswatini government.  In the JNF that took place on 21st August 2025 the government and the consultant had failed to produce and p...