Mbabane – The Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services (ENFES) officers vow to shun the fire day, where His Majesty King Mswati III, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, is expected to grace on Friday.
On Tuesday, firefighters staged a daring protest, demanding payment of their long-overdue overtime allowances, which they claim date back to 2019. The aggrieved officers gathered outside the Mbabane Fire headquarters, chanting “No Pay, No Fire Day,” as they accused the government of failing to honour its promise to settle their dues, estimated at over E17 million. They vowed to boycott the upcoming Fire Day celebrations scheduled for Friday, unless their grievances are addressed.
However, the ENFES Communications Officer Mandla Dlamini confirmed that the protest occurred over the allowance claims but said that the management was not prior informed. “We were not aware that the officers were planning a picket. There was no prior communication from them,” he said.
Dlamini explained that the matter of unpaid overtime is still before the High Court and has not yet been resolved.
“Until a judgment is issued, there is nothing management can do. The court has not yet awarded the workers their overtime,” he said.
He added that despite the unrest, preparations for Fire Day are continuing.
“We are busy preparing for Fire Day on Friday, and everything will go on smoothly. The firefighters will be there,” Dlamini assured.
While acknowledging the firefighters’ frustrations, Dlamini urged calm, saying their threats to boycott the event were made out of emotion.
“When they said there will be no Fire Day, they were speaking emotionally. Deep down, they understand their duty. When it comes to work, our officers always put everything aside and serve,” he said.
The protest follows years of growing discontent among firefighters who accuse the government of dragging its feet on paying overtime allowances. According to the 2024 Compliance Audit Report cited earlier this year, firefighters’ claims have been pending since 2019 despite a court ruling in their favour.
Mbabane ENFES Headquarters Shop Steward Bonisile Dlamini previously told the media that the workers were financially strained and felt neglected by the government.
“We will protest until we receive our overtime allowances. Parliament and the courts have ruled in our favour, yet our bosses still ignore our pain,” she said.
Firefighters have argued that while the government successfully processed salary review adjustments for over 44 000 civil servants in less than two weeks, their own overtime payments for about 300 officers remain outstanding.
They maintain that unless the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development honours its commitment, they will continue pressing for their dues even if it means disrupting Fire Day celebrations.
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