BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE– The Government of Eswatini, through the Ministry of Public Service, has pledged full implementation of the Salary Review Agreement signed with public sector unions, marking a major milestone in efforts to modernise and harmonise the civil service remuneration structure.
This commitment was reaffirmed by Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko during a press briefing held on Thursday, 16 October 2025, at the Cabinet Offices in Mbabane. Minister Maseko was joined by Secretary to Cabinet Victor Nxumalo and Principal Secretary Mthunzi Shabangu.
“On behalf of Cabinet and His Majesty’s Government, I wish to applaud our social partners — the Public Sector Unions (PSUs), the Government Negotiations Team (GNT), the consultants, and all staff members who have worked tirelessly to achieve this historic settlement,” said Maseko.
He expressed confidence that the conclusion of negotiations on the salary review’s implementation will bring meaningful relief and motivation to thousands of civil servants and their families.
The salary review exercise, launched in August 2024, was designed to evaluate the fairness and competitiveness of salaries across the public service. The review aimed to align remuneration with performance, address disparities, and ensure that civil service pay structures reflect market standards and job value.
To achieve this, Government engaged Emergence Human Capital (Emergence Growth), a leading African human resource and remuneration consultancy, in partnership with local firm Umelusi Partners. The review process, which began on 26 August 2024, involved job profiling, evaluation, remuneration audits, benchmarking, and the development of new pay scales and allowances.
Following the submission of the final draft Salary Review Report on 29 September 2025, Government and the PSUs — including NAPSAWU, SNAT, SNA, and SNAGAP — began negotiations on the implementation modalities. Talks were held between 3 and 15 October 2025, culminating in the signing of a Collective Agreement outlining a phased rollout starting October 2025.
Among the highlights of the agreement are:
- Scenario 3 Implementation: Government will implement 100% of the recommended salary adjustments under Scenario 3 of the Salary Review Report, effective October 2025, and backdated to April 2025.
- Back Pay: 15% of six months’ back pay (April–September 2025) will be paid in October 2025, with the remaining 85% to be paid in July 2026.
- Non-adjusted Grades: Employees in grades without upward adjustments will receive a once-off 5% payment of their annual basic salary.
- Allowances: Revised housing and bus fare allowances will be implemented in phases, with full rollout of deferred allowances by July 2026.
- Bilateral Negotiations: Issues requiring further sectoral discussion, including housing for workers in Government Farms and Projects, will be handled at bilateral level.
The agreement will be registered with the Industrial Court, making it legally binding under the Industrial Relations Act No. 1 of 2000 (as amended).
Maseko concluded by reaffirming Government’s commitment to ensuring transparency, fairness, and sustainability in public sector remuneration. “This agreement is a reflection of our collective will to create a motivated, productive, and modern civil service,” he said.
