Ezulwini – The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and the Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) have announced a partnership for the rollout of non taxables payment with 35 post offices as collection centres on Friday.
Addressing the gathering at the ERS auditorium in Ezulwini, ERS Commissioner General, Brightwell Nkambule said they are mandated by the Swaziland Revenue Authority Act of 2008, divided as the first schedule of taxable income and the second schedule, to collect all government revenue.
Nkambule said by October 20, 2025, 16 of 35 post offices will start collecting government revenue on fees including passports, stamp duties and traffic fines. Nkambule also said ERS has six service centres which will continue to play the role of bringing services to the people and ensure efficiency.
He said by May 2024, they have started collecting fees aligned with the Ministry of Commerce including company registration fees.
“This is helpful to us as it adds many outlets to pay their fees,” Nkambule said, with emphasis on the government’s intention of unifying public entities to decentralise services.
Five primary laws that fall within the ERS first schedule include the Income Tax Order of 1975, Customs and Excise Act of 1971, Value Added Tax Act of 2011, Fuel Tax Act, 2022, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Levy Act.
Falling within the second schedule list are laws including the Lotteries Act of 1963, Road traffic Act of 2007, Liquor Licence Act of 1964, Stamp Duties Act of 1970, Trading Licences Order of 1975 and the Sugar Export Levy Act of 1997.
The acting Minister of Finance, Appolo Maphalala said ERS will eventually take over the collection of all non tax revenue on behalf of the government, stating that this expansion is intended to make it easier for people and businesses to to pay for services.
“Our goal is not only to modernise but to bring services closer to the people,” Maphalala said, adding that it will save people time and resources knowing that they have the same services closer to their homes.
He emphasised non competition within government entities and discouraged viewing the government only from ministerial lenses and stereotypes.
“So I think this partnership which EPTC and ERS is demonstrating here today will really go a long way even in demonstrating within government corridors that it is possible for a state-owned entities to continue working together without competition. As long as we are here on what we want to achieve, we can achieve that,” he said.
ERS said until the switch goes live, citizens are assured on uninterrupted payment methods within the various government offices.
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