BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE— A recent inspection visit by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Honourable Phila Buthelezi, in Matsapha has resulted in noticeable improvements in workplace practices, the Labour Commissioner said this week.
Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee on 21 May 2026, Labour Commissioner Kingdom Mamba said the visit, which took place on the evening of 5 May, followed concerns raised by employees about working conditions and general labour practices.
The minister was accompanied by members of the Portfolio Committee from the House of Assembly, the Ministry’s Principal Secretary Makhosini Mndawe, the Labour Commissioner, and other officials from the Ministry.
According to the Ministry, the visit aimed to verify the allegations and assess whether the company was complying with labour regulations. During the engagement, officials identified several issues affecting workers, including concerns related to remuneration, workplace conduct, training opportunities, and general employment conditions. While company management disputed some of the claims, other concerns were acknowledged, and a commitment was made to address them.
Briefing the committee, Commissioner Mamba said the intervention had already produced positive change within the sector. “Recently the minister takes on an exercise to visit the textile industry where we heard that when it’s time to knock off, the workers would log out but come back and work for probably two to three hours,” he said.
“I am happy to announce that where we’ve visited with the minister there is change and some who were trying to copy this are now back on track,” he added.
Mamba also noted that the Ministry continues to face resource constraints, but remains committed to carrying out inspections and enforcing labour standards using the available capacity. He encouraged workers across the country to report any violations, saying the Ministry relies heavily on tip offs from members of the public to investigate cases of non compliance.
He further welcomed government support through the appointment of a legal representative, saying this will allow the Ministry to take more cases to court and ensure that employers who violate labour laws are prosecuted.
Mamba emphasised that the core mandate of the Labour Department is to safeguard workers and ensure that no violations go unchecked within workplaces across Eswatini.
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(Courtesy Pic)
