E6BN FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, GOOD AND BAD NEWS

MBABANE – While an injection of E6 billion is projected to go to civil servants for the next financial year, mainly for the payment of salaries, suspension of some posts is in the pipeline.

This is according to Minister of Finance Martin Dlamini ,who presented the ‘mixed bag of goodies and sadness’ for the country’s civil service. However, the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) is unmoved as it says the funds will mostly benefit top politicians.

The minister lamented that the E6 million going solely to the civil service was rather too high a figure, compared to about E4.7 billion in the previous year.
Now, the government employers, who are over 38 000 should brace themselves for a suspension of some posts.

The minister said: “The major pressure on the Public Service Budget continues to be the cost of the civil service, at over E6 billion for 2015/16. Wage bill control remains a huge issue and has caused most of the expenditure challenges that have led to this tough budget. The ministry is exploring all possible measures, including deferral of non-strategic vacant positions in the coming year.”

Inspite of this, the minister pointed some positives regarding implementation of certain projects within the Ministry of Public Service, the parent ministry for civil servants.
He explained that a public service whose performance standard was high, was essential to better service delivery.
In 2014/15, government allocated E127.1 million to the Ministry of Public Service.

These resources have funded over 430 trained staff; expanded HIV and AIDS services to cover an additional 4 655 civil servants and the continuation of the payroll audit.
“In 2015/16, E153 million will be allocated to the Ministry of Public Service to continue delivering its various priority programmes aimed at promoting a results-oriented public service.  The priority areas will include completion of the Payroll and Skills Audit Exercise; rolling out the performance management system; and further capacity building of civil servants,” he explained.

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