Tension flared this morning as members of the Public Sector Unions (PSUs) mobilised across the country for a planned petition delivery in Mbabane, amid claims that buses transporting workers were being blocked by police.
According to information shared by union members, buses from various regions were scheduled to depart as early as 6:30am, transporting civil servants to the capital where they intended to present a petition to Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini and the Ministry of Public Service. The petition centres on a single demand: the implementation of Notch 2 for qualifying civil servants with effect from April 2026, in line with Government General Order A208.
However, as workers began assembling at designated pick-up points, reports emerged that members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service were intercepting buses, particularly those travelling from the Gege area, preventing them from proceeding to Mbabane.
The alleged disruptions come as PSU leaders themselves were summoned to the Cabinet Offices at 9:00am today, in what is believed to be a response by government to the planned mass action. It remains unclear whether the meeting is intended to avert the petition or address the workers’ demands.
The mobilisation follows a resolution taken during an urgent meeting of PSU leaders held on April 16, 2026, at the SNAT Centre in Manzini. During that meeting, union leaders agreed to proceed with a formal petition after what they described as prolonged delays in implementing salary progression for civil servants.
In their communication to members, the unions emphasised that all legal processes required to undertake the industrial action had been followed. They also urged workers to participate in large numbers, adopting the rallying call “Notch 2 or Nothing.”
A detailed transport plan had been circulated ahead of today’s action. In the Hhohho region, buses were expected to leave Buhleni at 6:30am, passing through Msahweni and Sipiki before arriving in Mbabane at 10:00am. In the Lubombo region, routes included Madlangempisi through Mananga and Maphiveni to Siteki, as well as another from Matata via Big Bend and Siphofaneni through Manzini. Shiselweni region workers were to depart from Nhlangano and Hlatsi, while those in the Manzini region were instructed to gather at the SNAT Centre from 8:00am.
Workers with private transport were also encouraged to assist others by offering lifts, particularly those closer to Mbabane.
The demand for Notch 2 relates to a long-standing dispute over salary progression within the civil service, with unions arguing that eligible workers have remained stagnated at lower notches despite provisions allowing for advancement. The issue has increasingly become a flashpoint, with unions warning of intensified industrial action should government fail to comply.
By mid-morning, the situation remained fluid, with uncertainty over whether the petition would proceed as planned or be disrupted by the reported police actions.
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