On 2 July 2025, over 300 public sector workers in Swaziland staged a peaceful picket outside the Ministry of Public Service in Mbabane to protest continued delays in the release of the long-awaited Salary Review Report. The demonstration, organized by members of major public sector unions—including the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), and the Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP)—was a coordinated show of solidarity following union consultations across the country. Despite police attempts to disrupt the action, workers maintained their presence throughout the day, underscoring their frustration and determination.
The picketing coincided with a Joint Negotiation Forum (JNF) held inside the Ministry, where union leaders formally rejected the government’s request for a three-month extension and a revised eight-week proposal. A compromise was eventually reached, with the government committing to finalize the report within six weeks and present it by 30 September. The unions await a formal response from the cabinet by 9 July, when a collective agreement is expected to be signed. This dual action—strategic negotiation paired with visible public pressure—demonstrates the unions’ resolve and tests the state’s willingness to engage transparently and responsively with civil society demands.
The picketing action serves as a direct test of the state’s openness to civic expression and responsiveness to public sector demands. The government’s handling of both the protest and the negotiation outcomes will indicate whether participatory engagement is genuinely valued or merely procedural.