MBABANE: Acting Eswatini Observer Managing Director Mbongeni Mbingo has, through the Human Resources Department, released a memo informing the staff that payment of their salaries will be delayed.
“Management sincerely apologizes for the delay and any inconvenience this may have caused,” reads the memo in part dated 20th February 2026 and signed by Nosipho Ndlangamandla, the Human Resources - Support Services.
Efforts to seek a comment from the Acting Managing Director proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
But an employee of the State controlled newspaper told this Swaziland News that, they were informed on the payday regarding the delay.
“Just imagine you are expecting your salary and then later on the same day, you receive a memo informing you that you won’t receive the money?. Hhayi kona kumatima kuphila kunalive nali, liviki lonkhe bo-Mbingo bayabona kutsi imali kute abasitjeli,” said one of the employees.
It has been disclosed that, the Eswatini Observer is facing a decline in advertising revenue while on the other hand, lawyers whose clients won lawsuits against the newspaper “demand payments”.
The Eswatini Observer workers were allegedly told that, at least two hundred and thirty thousand Rands (R230,000.00) was needed in the next few days to pay salaries.
The Eswatini Observer memo informing staff about a delay in the payment of salaries.