Following the finalisation of the salary review for security forces, public sector unions (PSUs) want to challenge government on their notching.
The PSUs claimed they had been made aware that members of the security forces would maintain their different notches in the reviewed salaries,
This has irked PSUs as they say they will demand that government practices fair labour standards, as they were all civil servants and had initially wanted to keep their notches.
| Eswatini Observer WhatsApp Channel
Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Lot Vilakati said they would await the establishment circular to confirm the details, even though they had been made aware that the security forces would get their reviewed salaries maintaining their different notches.
PSUs, including members of SNAT, together with the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), the Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP), and the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), received their adjusted salaries last month and were all placed under notch one.
This followed government’s commitment to pay 15% backpay from April, based on the recommended salary adjustments contained in Scenario III, which was paid on the October pay date.
RELATED: ‘Dvuladvula’ confusion: Unions slam lack of transparency in salary review
The remaining 85% backpay would be paid in July 2026.
Vilakati said once the establishment circular is published, the PSUs would meet to determine the appropriate action to compel government to act fairly, as the situation could amount to an unfair labour practice.
“No one wants to lose their notch, and the 1% granted to the security forces is not fair. The establishment circular will guide us, because if people were found to be earning more, they should have been brought back to the standard rate of payment, which may be the reason for the 1%,” he said.
Vilakati said the 1% increase was too little for workers who had been waiting for a salary review.
Adding, he said if government is found to have acted unfairly, the unions would be forced to demand notch-to-notch adjustments for all civil servants. “If government fails to comply, the Industrial Relations Act will guide us on the next step to take should we fail to reach an agreement during negotiations.
“We have seen statements circulated among some security officers, but the most important and tangible thing we can rely on is the establishment circular,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vilakati said the Go Public Fund Education Campaign march would go ahead in Mbabane at Coronation Park at 10am today. He explained that the campaign, which had been running across the regions, calls for government to increase the education budget.
“This time around, we decided to stage the event in Mbabane. It will be a peaceful march, and we have been granted permission to proceed,” he said.
ALSO READ: Child maintenance cases surge as economic pressures deepen
Meanwhile, NAPSAWU acting Secretary General Msimeto Malindzisa echoed Vilakati’s statement. He said they were unhappy with the notching, whereby members of the security forces would maintain notches, while PSUs had been moved to notch 1.
He added that they had asked for the salary review to be implemented per notch even for the rest of the civil servants.
He said negotiations were supposed to be done jointly, highlighting that the delay in the implementation of the reviewed salaries for the security forces might have been a move for government to do things differently.
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 1: Warder II
• Before: E6 340
• After: E6 466
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 2: Warder I
• Least Paid – Before: E10 483 | After: E10 587
• Most Paid – Before: E14 096 | After: E14 236
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 3: Warder Instructor
• Least Paid – Before: E12 075 | After: E12 195
• Most Paid – Before: E13 591 | After: E13 726
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 4: Sergeant
• Least Paid – Before: E14 112 | After: E16 652
• Most Paid – Before: E16 359 | After: E19 280
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 5: Sergeant Instructor
• Least Paid – Before: E16 229 | After: E19 150
• Most Paid – Before: E18 830 | After: E21 553
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 6: Assistant Chief Officer
• Least Paid – Before: E18 830 | After: E22 219
• Most Paid – Before: E19 207 | After: E22 664
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 7: Chief Officer
• Least Paid – Before: E19 603 | After: E20 387
• Most Paid – Before: E21 275 | After: E22 126
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 8: Assistant Superintendent
• Least Paid – Before: E24 635 | After: E24 881
• Most Paid – Before: E26 917 | After: E27 186
────────────────────────────────────────────
RANK 9: Superintendent
• Least Paid – Before: E30 955 | After: E31 574
• Most Paid – Before: E33 955 | After: E34 502
────────────────────────────────────────────
Uniformed forces unhappy
MEMBERS of the security forces have expressed disappointment with the recently released salary review final report, which proposes salary adjustments ranging from 1% to 18%.
The concerns were raised by Royal Eswatini Police Staff Association (REPOSA) Chairperson Isaac Lukhele who said the report did not meet their expectations, describing the proposed increases as “disheartening.”
“We haven’t yet met with the ministry of public service to discuss the final report. Yesterday’s (Wednesday) meeting was only with the consultant.
We are still looking forward to engaging with the ministry,” Lukhele explained. He added that the report failed to reflect the specific requests and recommendations made by the security sector during earlier consultations. “We are not pleased with what we saw. According to the report, members will receive between 1% and 18%, and this applies mostly to officers within our association, not those in higher ranks. The concerns and submissions we presented have not been addressed,” he said.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Mthunzi Shabangu confirmed that the meeting had taken place, but declined to provide detailed information.
“The meeting was scheduled to take place. However, I cannot comment much on it since everything is still in process and has not yet been finalised.
The matter will ultimately be addressed by the prime minister’s office. What I can assure you is that we are committed to finalising everything within this month,” Shabangu stated.
Eswatini Observer Press Reader | View Here
