By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Sipho Tsabedze,the ‘dismissed’ Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Public Service did not receive his February 2025 salary despite an order issued by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, calling for his reinstatement including his salary and all benefits.

Tsabedze’s February 2025 pay-slip in possession of this Swaziland News and sourced from the Government Payments System within the Ministry of Finance suggests that, the ‘dismissed’ PS who allegedly forged his birth certificate to avoid retirement, was paid only six-thousand and eleven, twenty-seven cents(R6011.27) as a basic salary and, this amount was for the few days he worked before being ordered by the Civil Service Commission(CSC) to vacate public office.

The PS also earned less than two thousand Rands(R2000.00) allowances and after deductions, he received 0.00 as a nett pay, Tsabedze declined to comment about the matter.

But a high profile source within Government told this publication earlier on Tuesday that, there was no way the PS could have received his salary merely, through a directive from the Prime Minister.

“Government does not operate like that, State institutions including the Civil Service Commission(CSC) have certain powers and the PM cannot just issue an order directing the payment of salaries for individuals who have left public office.Such directive if implemented outside the CSC, would disorganize the entire Government system,”said the source.

On another note,Bawinile Ndlovu, the President of the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union(NAPSAWU) had earlier warned the Prime Minister against interfering with the decision of the CSC adding that, “should the PS successfully refuse to go home, that would mean all civil servants who had similar issues” must be reinstated.

“As a union, we are watching this matter very closely, we have members who genuinely approached Government with proof suggesting that, their retirement was not due but,they were told to go home and that, only the date appearing in the Government file will be considered. It’s surprising to see the PM supporting this corruption but if Tsabedze is reinstated, we will approach the court seeking the reinstatement of all our retired members”.said the NAPSAWU President.

Information in our possession suggests that, Tsabedze “has been officially removed from the Government Payments System and is no-longer the Principal Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Public Service”.

This means the memo issued by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini earlier this week, calling for his reinstatement has been rejected by the Civil Service Commission.