Swaziland
Newsletter No. 917 – 6 March 2026
News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge. The newsletter
and past editions are also available online on the Swazi Media Commentary
blogsite.
Neal tables E36.92bn budget that marks historic
increase
By Musa Simelane and Melisa Msweli. eSwatini
Observer, 28 February 2026
In a landmark address to
Parliament, Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg unveiled a
record-breaking national budget of E36.92 billion for the 2026/27 financial
year — describing it as the most significant fiscal expansion in the country’s
history.
The allocation marks a
staggering E4.3 billion increase from the E32.6 billion approved in the
previous year.
Anchored in the theme of agape
love — defined by the minister as “love in action” — the budget seeks
to transform the economy through sacrificial service and disciplined
investment.
The primary engine behind this
historic rise is the long-awaited public service salary review.
By implementing Scenario
3 of the review, government has significantly increased recurrent
expenditure to accommodate phased salary adjustments and back pay for civil
servants.
According to Rijkenberg, the
move is designed to:
Boost morale
Restore purchasing
power
Strengthen the
workforce described as the backbone of service delivery
However, this commitment comes
amid mounting fiscal pressures. Interest payments on public debt have climbed
to approximately E800 million.
While the minister assured the
nation that debt levels remain sustainable, he acknowledged the strain such
obligations place on the national fiscus.
Education once again secures
the largest allocation, rising to E6.40 billion.
The funding will support:
A four-year
secondary school pilot programme
The rollout of
Competency-Based Education
The health sector follows with
a robust E3.24 billion, with a significant focus on restructuring the Central
Medical Stores.
The transformation into a
stand-alone entity is aimed at addressing persistent drug shortages raised in
the 2025 budget speech — ensuring pharmaceutical funds translate into medicines
reaching patients.
Job creation remains central
to the fiscal strategy, particularly through completion of flagship
infrastructure projects.
To read more of this report,
click here
https://eswatiniobserver.com/neal-tables-e36-92bn-budget-that-marks-historic-increase/
Increase elderly grants, make secondary education free
by Ntombi Mhlongo, Times of eSwatini, 5 March
2026
LOBAMBA: Show ‘agape love’ to
the elderly!
This is a statement which was
repeated countless times during the Budget Speech Debate which took place at
the House of Assembly yesterday.
The statement was directed to
the Minister for Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, and it was a request for him to go
back and include an increase of elderly grants in the national budget.
The minister presented the
2026 Budget Speech last Friday and yesterday, the House of Assembly got the
opportunity to debate it.
It appears that most of the
MPs had come with one intention – to make him aware that for them to support
him and pass the budget; he must make a commitment that he will increase the
elderly grants.
First to speak on the issue
was Phondo MP Bonginkosi Dube, who said while he was grateful for the Budget
Speech as it addressed challenges faced by emaSwati, he was disappointed that
it did not in any way touch on the issue of elderly grants.
Dube said at his constituency,
the elderly are struggling on a daily basis.
“On behalf of the people of
Phondo, I am here to request that the minister for Finance meet with the
Finance Committee and decide where they can do some reallocations in order to
find money for the elderly grants.
“The cost of living has become
high and when the elderly grants are low, it puts a lot of pressure on the
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister,” Dube said.
Also speaking on elderly
grants was Mtfongwaneni MP Nathi Hlophe, who said he had hoped that following
the implementation of the salary review for civil servants, the grants for the
elderly and persons with disabilities would be looked into.
Nkilongo MP Petros Sibandze
said he wanted to propose that MPs do not pass the budget until elderly grants
are increased.
“The elderly are vulnerable
and they are suffering because they are expected to take care of their
grandchildren. When you look at the budget, you can see that there has been an
increase in the budget for travel. I propose that the increase for travel be
reallocated to the elderly grants,” Sibandze said.
Lobamba MP Michael Masilela
said he had not come to oppose the passing of the budget but to simply request
that the elderly grants be increased.
Meanwhile, Hhukwini MP Alec
Lushaba submitted that the Budget Speech was clear that the minister for
Finance had clearly understood the directive by the King, in particular the
emphasis on spreading agape love.
On another note, Lobamba
Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo, who doubles as the Finance Committee Chairperson,
congratulated the minister on the budget but said he, himself was concerned
about the non-allocation for the elderly grants.
 |
eSwatini Parliament
See also
National budget:
Neal unveils over 200 000 jobs (eSwatini News)
King Mswati’s
R100million forty (40) years on the Throne budget included in National Budget
but disguised as monies allocated to complete International Convention Centre
(ICC) (Swaziland News)
http://swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=11489
CANGO Director Thembinkhosi Dlamini says eSwatini
organizations promoting LGBTQ retrenching workers after United States (US) said
no American money will fund Gays and Lesbians under his administration
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 3
March 2026
MBABANE: Thembinkhosi Dlamini,
the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental
Organizations (CANGO) says more Eswatini civil society organizations promoting
LGBTQ+ are retrenching workers and might close after United States (US)
President Donald Trump said, “no American money will fund” Gays and Lesbians
under his administration.
LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning individuals, representing
diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, the "+" sign
acknowledges additional identities like intersex, asexual, pansexual, and others.
Speaking to this Swaziland
News on Monday evening, the CANGO Executive Director said civil society
organizations have been facing financial challenges adding that, “the situation
is getting worse as more organizations are retrenching” workers.
“It’s a very difficult time
for the civil society under the Donald Trump administration, even the R4billion
donated by the US in support of health programs, we are told Eswatini was
warned against using it on any program supporting Gays and Lesbians,” said the
CANGO Director.
On another note, the CANGO
Executive Director said, his Office recently received letters about
organizations retrenching workers, the organizations were promoting the rights
of LGBTQ+.
Shortly after being
re-elected, United States President Donald Trump stated that, promoting LGBTQ+
will not form part of his policies, he went on to withdraw funding for a number
of world organizations grounding hundreds of civil society organizations around
the world.
Over 4 000 surge in OVC grant beneficiaries
By Nokuphila Haji, eSwatini Observer, 4
March 2026
The number of pupils whose
school fees are paid for by the office of the deputy prime minister under the
Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) grant has increased by 4 761 in the
2025/2026 financial year.
According to the report of the
deputy prime minister’s office for the 2025/2026 financial year, tabled by
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla in Parliament on Monday,
the education grant remained one of the most valuable interventions, supporting
a total of 67 438 orphaned and vulnerable children nationwide, with equitable
coverage across all four regions.
This comes at a time when
legislators once raised concerns that there were children placed under the OVC
grants who were not supposed to benefit. The office had previously indicated
that it would vet learners applying for the fund going forward.
Dladla stated that compared to
the previous financial year, beneficiary numbers increased by 4 761,
representing a 7.06 per cent rise. The number of learners sitting for external
examinations who are beneficiaries of the grant increased by 12.06 per cent,
reflecting both growing demand and expanded coverage.
Under the OVC grant, Dladla
said the department of social welfare continued to offer financial support to
67 438 orphaned and vulnerable children.
Regionally, Hhohho recorded 16
258 beneficiaries, while Manzini had 17 544. Lubombo had 16 850 beneficiaries
and Shiselweni recorded 16 786.
She added that E91 178 558 was
paid as balance to 287 secondary and high schools across the country.
Dladla further noted that the
office also takes care of pupils in completing classes. A total of 23 765
beneficiaries under the OVC grant had their examination fees fully paid in Form
III and Form V.
This financial year, E48 248
890 was paid to the Examinations Council of Eswatini for OVC learners
writing external examinations.
On the other hand, Dladla
stated that elderly grant beneficiaries under her department stood at 90 073,
with each beneficiary receiving E600 per month. The office paid E487 083 477
for elderly grants in the last financial year.
She explained that the payment
mode for the elderly grant was through Mobile Money (MoMo) at a charge of E9
per beneficiary, while commercial banks charged E25 per beneficiary.
However, following
negotiations with commercial banks, all had agreed to reduce the E25 charge to
E9. The change will take effect in the 2026/2027 financial year.
Currently, there are 18 563
beneficiaries under the disability grant. During the reporting period, the
office increased disability grant beneficiaries by 1 589 effective from April
2025.
A total of E71 403 417 was
paid under the disability grants last year.
King Mswati to use private jet in repatriating his
children and other royal family members residing in the Middle East amid
Israel-Iran conflict
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 4
March 2026
MBABANE: King Mswati’s private
jet will transport his children and other royal family members locked in the
Middle East Israel-United States and Iran conflict, back to Eswatini.
But about thirty (30) ordinary
emaSwati based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other surrounding
countries had agreed to come back but later decided to stay and risk fearing
the poverty situation in Eswatini, only one citizen had agreed to come back at
the time of compiling this report.
The repatriation is being
organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Eswatini citizens
including royal family members, are expected to arrive in Eswatini this week.
“We have been informed that,
the private jet will arrive this week, at first we didn’t believe it until we
receive official confirmation from a Government official,” said one of the
citizens based in the Middle East.
Acting Government Spokesperson
Thabile Mdluli declined to comment about the repatriation of the Eswatini
citizens.
Israel backed by the United
States, is currently exchanging ‘fire’ with Iran, dozens have died since the
conflict erupted last week.
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