BHUNYA:Lihle Dlamini,the Manager at Khombindlela Forestry Services says, they are waiting for a tax directive from the Eswatini Revenue Authority(ERS) before paying terminal benefits to retrenched employees.
The Manager was responding to this Swaziland News on Saturday evening, after being asked to clarify why the company was delaying to pay terminal benefits for employees who were retrenched without notice in September, the company is contracted to Montingy Investments, a company owned by Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg.
The frustrated employees contacted this publication appealing for help after the Manager started to be evasive to them when asked when exactly, the monies would be be paid.
“We are waiting for a tax directive from the revenue authority and they are delaying but we are pushing.As soon as we receive that directive, we will pay them,” said the Khombindlela Forestry Services Manager.
When asked to clarify when the employees can expect their payment, the Khombindlela Manager said, he was not sure but mentioned that, as soon as the revenue authority releases the tax directive, the they pay.
Efforts to reach Sihle Mavuso, the Montigny Investments Spokesperson,proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
When asked by this Swaziland News to clarify the meaning of “tax directive”, Vusi Dlamini,the Eswatini Revenue Service(ERS) Director of Communications and Marketing said, whenever an employer intends paying lump sum amounts to an employee or employees, the employer “will apply for a tax directive” with the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS).
“Upon receipt of the application the ERS will work out the correct amount of employees' related tax that the employer must withhold on paying the lump sum.These lump sums would usually be Gratuities, Provident Funds, etc.,and the employee will receive that benefit of tax from the employer, depending on the instruction from the ERS based on the Country's Tax Legislation,” said the revenue authority Director of Communications and Marketing.
Montigny Investments.