By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Pearl Muir-Dlamini is the new Commissioner-Domestic Taxes, thanks to a policy that allows the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) to advertise vacant positions internally first.

This policy is the best because it allows employees to compete for higher positions and in fact, it’s a policy that demonstrates the revenue institution’s willingness to empower employees by affording them an opportunity to grow within the organization.

Pearl Muir-Dlamini, is married to Major General Vusummango Dlamini, the son to Prince Masitsela but, she secured the position by merit not my favour, that’s what we want, whether you are related to the royal family or not, let’s have equal opportunities within the work place.

But recently, I received an email from an employee within the revenue institution complaining about the working conditions under Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule.

Perhaps, let me clarify that, the ERS remains the backbone for Government operations, I don’t want to remind Cabinet about the significance of the Eswatini Revenue Service because I strongly believe you can’t be in Cabinet without understanding the fundamentals of running a Government.

It is for these reasons I am saying we can’t have a Cabinet that fails to understand the fundamentals of running a Government, the ERS is the last institution to complain about better working conditions because if employees of this institution could decide that “enough is enough”, the whole Government machinery could collapse.

Well, I am writing to urge Cabinet to engage employees of the ERS, some benefits previously left by Commissioner General Dumsani Masilela have been removed.

Dumsani Masilela is the founding Commissioner General, he transformed this organization and therefore, his legacy must be maintained.

Indeed, there was order and discipline within the ERS during Dumsani Masilela’s time and, employees were enjoying performance bonuses.

I would therefore, urge Cabinet to conduct an investigation to ascertain if employees are still happy or motivated to work hard at ERS, we don’t want this institution to collapse because it is the heart of the country.

Whether you are anti or pro-Tinkhundla system, if you are politically inclined, you will understand that, the ERS is an institution that must be protected or supported because it collects revenue to fund social programs.

It is therefore absurd, to see Cabinet failing to take action and address the challenges within ERS.