GOVT EXPENDITURE TO INCREASE BY OVER E0.5M PER MONTH

MANZINI – Government expenditure will increase by over E0.5 million per month.

This is because the remuneration of 85 members of commissions and Boards was improved through the Prescription of Statutory Salaries and Allowances of Commissions and Boards Notice, 2020, which stated that it was deemed as having come into effect on June 1, 2020. 

It was published in the Eswatini Gazette Extraordinary on November 4, 2020 and it revoked Legal Notice No.96 of 2013, which until October, was the scale used to pay the said members.

The legislation reviewed the salaries of three sets of Emabandla, three commissions and three Boards. The three Emabandla are: the Paul Dlamini-led Liqoqo, which has 22 members, inclusive of the secretary. The basic salary of the chairman is E63 611 while that of his secretary is E55 659. In addition to this, each of the 21 members earn a basic salary of E47 709, which tallies E1 001 889 for all the members per month.

Increment 

For Liqoqo, government will spend about E33 000 on their increment.

Taking one of the largest chunks is the Citizenship Board with over E195 000, which is the same as the Teaching Service Commission.

Also, there is the 16-member Ludzidzini Council chaired by Chief Mdlaka Gamedze. His basic salary is E55 659 while each member earns a basic salary of E47 709, which when multiplied by the number of members, equals E763 344 per month.

The last committee is the 14-member Border Determination Special Committee (BDSC) chaired by former Speaker of the Ninth Parliament, Prince Guduza. Each member of the BDSC is paid a basic salary of E50 093, which means collectively they earn E620 217 per month while the deputy chairperson is paid a basic salary of E50 659. On the other hand, the basic salary remunerated to Prince Guduza is E55 659.

Furthermore, the commissions that benefitted from the new legal notice are the Prince Mhlabuhlangene Dlamini-led Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), which has three members and a deputy chairperson.

Prince Mhlabuhlangene earns a basic salary of E63 610.66 while his deputy, former Minister of Labour and Social Security Winnie Magagula, is paid E59 634.91. In addition to this, each of the three members is paid a basic salary of E55 659.41, which means collectively, they earn E166 978.23.

There is also the Peter Mamba-led Civil Service Commission (CSC), which has four members. Mamba is remunerated a basic salary of E58 349.41 monthly while the four members’ salary was adjusted to E45 383.58, which when multiplied by four, equals E136 150.74.

Leading to the publication of the gazette, the four members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), which is led by Simanga Mamba, did not earn a basic salary. 

However, following the engagement of relevant stakeholders, they are now earning a basic salary of E47 708.08 per month which computes to E190 832.32 for the quartet while the chairman earns a basic salary of E55 659.42. 

Remuneration 

Under the Boards, there’s the Land Management Board (LMB), which is led by Prince Mguqiso. The chairperson’s basic salary and that of the members is similar to the remuneration afforded the CSC. This means that Prince Mguqiso has a basic salary of E58 349.41 monthly while the salary of the four members was adjusted to E45 383.58. This translates to E136 150.74 for the quartet.

The Citizenship Board chaired by Fikile V Dlamini faced the same predicament just like the TSC. Only the chairperson was remunerated while the members were not paid a basic salary. However, each member now earns a basic salary of E47 708.08 per month, which computes to E190 832.32 for the quartet while the chairperson earns a basic salary of E55 659.42.

Lastly, there is the Minerals Board, which has a chairperson gazetted to earn E63 610.66 per month and four member who will be paid a basic salary of E47 708.08 per month, which computes to E190 832.32.

Based on the adjustments, government’s wage bill will increase by E560 361.92 per month. This is for the nine entities listed above which, according to the communications Officer in the Ministry of Finance, Setsabile Dlamini, was an adjustment for the commissions and Boards ‘whose nature and scope of work was reviewed and moved from part-time to full-time’.

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