WHY REDUCE CIVIL SERVICE BUT HIRE SECURITY FORCES?

MBABANE – Trade unions are aggrieved that government wants to downsize the civil service yet it was hiring security forces personnel annually.

Vincent Ncongwane, the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA), said government was biased and contradicted itself when it came to minimising the civil service wage bill.

Minister of Finance Martin Dlamini on Wednesday, when presenting his Mid-year Budget Report, advised all ministries to stop hiring. He informed Members of Parliament (MPs) that the wage bill continued to be high.

Ncongwane wondered why the security services personnel were recruited annually. Instead, he said the State should consider engaging trade unions in dealing with matters that affect employees.

 “Government should be engaging us in discussing a way forward in minimising the wage bill. Getting rid of 7 000 people should be the last.”
The figure of 7 000 people is based on a recommendation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which said this was applicable for government in downsizing its bloated civil service.

Ncongwane said the State should, instead, monitor its spending on non-essential items.
He made reference to the 22 newly-acquired BMW X5 sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) that cost about E800 000 each; thus, totalling E17.6 million.
“Instead of terminating the employ of the civil servants, they should stop buying non- essential items. Priority spending areas that will benefit the masses, not a select few, should be outlined,” Ncongwane said.

The unionist felt that government should engage them to determine whether there was a need to annually recruit personnel in the security forces as this also increased the wage bill. Christopher Fakudze, an economist and lecturer at the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) said it was hard to have confidence in government when it was taking such a stand on security forces. “Government is defeating its purpose.” Fakudze wondered what would be the rationale of implementing the direct opposite of what the State was advocating.

He said the State should reconsider the approach of minimising the wage bill.
“Terminating the employ of 7 000 people will have an adverse impact on the economy. Note that a single civil servant caters for over five people in a family. What would happen to these people?” Fakudze wondered.

He said the country could not opt for this reform too fast as it would have adverse effects. The impacts that Fakudze outlined had spiralling effects, which would affect the informal sector as well.

The Finance minister had estimated expenditure for 2014-2015, including the cost-of-living adjustment to total E5.9 billion.
This is also inclusive of pension contributions. He said this indicated an almost 12 per cent increase from the previous year. Recently, it was reported that there were now over 40 000 civil servants.

Meanwhile, His Majesty’s Correctional Services initiated a recruitment exercise where they are seeking to fill vacant positions for about 200 officers.
Also, the Royal Swaziland Police Service started its recruitment exercise where they want to fill about 400 vacancies.

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