Event Summary
Following weeks of engagement and follow-up visits to government offices by the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) and other Public Sector Unions (PSUs) since 6 October 2025, the Government of Eswatini has officially issued a response confirming a salary increment deal for civil servants.
This development comes after prolonged negotiations and advocacy efforts by the unions, who had initially submitted a petition in July 2025 as published in our Early Warning Mechanism in July 8 demanding a salary review to address the rising cost of living and inflation. The government’s decision marks a significant milestone for civil servants, reflecting a partial response to the unions’ long-standing demands.
Leaders of Public Sector Unions (PSUs) pinned their signatures on the 2025 Salary Review Collective Agreement reached in the evening of 15 October 2025 in Mbabane. The agreement included a 100% implementation of the basic salary scales as recommended by the Salary Review Consultant (Emergence Human Capital), a 15% backpay and resort to Notch 1. All consequential Allowances and the 85% backpay shall be paid in July 2026. An Appeals Procedure shall be elaborated in the Establishment Circular to be issued soonest. The new Scales shall be effected beginning this October 2025. The Eswatini Government allocated only E800 Million for the 1st Phase of the Salary Review Exercise.
The announcement has been received positively among union members and the broader civil service, though discussions continue around the adequacy and sustainability of the increment in light of ongoing economic challenges.
Okay, this event is part of an existing pattern. Over the past year, public sector unions in Eswatini have repeatedly engaged the government through petitions, protests, and dialogue to demand salary adjustments and better working conditions. Similar actions were observed earlier in 2024 and mid-2025, when unions raised concerns about inflation and the government’s failure to implement previous agreements. The current salary increment deal follows this ongoing trend of union-led advocacy and negotiation, reflecting the continued struggle for improved labor rights and government accountability in the public sector.