MBABANE – Heated exchanges erupted in Parliament yesterday between Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg and Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane during a sitting of the Finance Portfolio Committee, as the two clashed over the budget allocation for the civil servants’ salary review.
MP Zwane told the committee that the minister had previously assured legislators that E500 million had been allocated as a commitment towards the salary review. He said it was therefore disappointing to now hear conflicting explanations about the amount and its purpose.
Zwane argued that it was unrealistic to set aside only E500 million for a salary review that had been pending for five years, noting that the figure was meant to be adjustable once the consultant’s findings were finalized.
“The information we received was that the E500 million was a commitment, open to be added based on the consultant’s assessment,” he said.
Minister Rijkenberg, however, interjected to clarify that he had been misquoted.
“He says I said openly that it was a commitment, which means he doesn’t understand how a budget works,” the minister said. “He’s been in Parliament for many years now, but clearly still doesn’t understand. You can’t say here’s money in the budget but it’s a commitment — where would we take the other money from?”
Rijkenberg added that what he had explained was that E500 million was what the government could afford this financial year, pending the final outcome of the consultant’s salary review report.
MPs Demand Faster Road Rehabilitation and Transparency
MBABANE – Members of Parliament have urged the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to accelerate road rehabilitation projects and improve transparency in the use of infrastructure funds.
During the Public Works Portfolio Committee sitting yesterday, several MPs raised concerns over the slow disbursement of funds, particularly the E200 million budgeted for road repairs. They noted that deteriorating infrastructure continues to hamper service delivery and endanger public safety.
Ngudzeni MP Charles Ndlovu called for urgent release of the funds, arguing that communities were suffering due to impassable roads while travel costs continued to rise. He also questioned the ministry’s ability to meet its obligations, given that only E6.7 million had been allocated for government housing — an amount he described as inadequate.
Nkhaba MP Hope Shiba questioned how the ministry planned to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to ensure smoother implementation of road projects, while Hhukwini MP Alec Lushaba demanded updates on the delayed establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund.
Somntongo MP highlighted the broader national crisis, citing drug shortages in hospitals and worsening road conditions. He proposed convening a national indaba to address the country’s pressing socio-economic challenges, saying:
“It has never happened in this country that the poor man was given anything without putting up a fight.”
Civil Servants Blocked at Prime Minister’s Office
MBABANE – Civil servants delivering a petition to the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday were met with locked gates and heavy police presence.
Hundreds of workers marched to the Cabinet offices to hand over their petition, but found the gates closed and locked by police officers stationed inside. The crowd remained outside until Acting Principal Secretary Lindiwe Dlamini came out to receive the petition on behalf of Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini.
Despite the tension, the march proceeded peacefully under the watch of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), which had armoured vehicles positioned nearby. A few moments of disorder were swiftly contained by the officers.
The protesting workers reaffirmed their solidarity with police officers, noting that law enforcement personnel also deserved a salary increment under the ongoing review.