By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Junior police and Correctional Services officers will share over R1billion as a back-pay from Government in respect of their delayed salary increment under Phase two(2), after winning a salary increment Supreme Court case.

With each officer entitled to over one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00) as a back-pay, this means Government will collectively pay R1billion to over ten thousand(10000) junior police and Correctional Services officers.

On another note,the judgement delivered by Chief Justice(CJ) Bheki Maphalala on Friday morning means Government will now be expected to pay each junior police and Correctional Services officer who was already employed in 2014 when the Phase two(2) Circular was issued, a back-pay amounting to over one hundred thousand Rands(R100,000.00).

But according to calculations conducted by this Swaziland News based on the Circular, officers from the rank of Sergeant who were left out, are entitled to over three hundred thousand Rands(R300,000.00) back-pay from Government.

Apart from the back-pay, the junior officers are expected to be awarded a salary increment and their salaries are expected to reach up to fifteen thousand Rands(R15,000.00) per-month while Sergeants will receive up to eighteen thousand Rands(R18,000.00) monthly salaries.

The Circular was released by Government after a re-structuring process that was conducted in stages, Phase one(1) benefitted senior police officers while junior officers were entitled to a salary increment under Phase two(2).

But what happened thereafter, senior police officers awarded themselves the salary increment while the standard of living for the junior security officers was worsening.

The Supreme Court Judges who presided over the matter include CJ Bheki Maphalala, Judge Mbutfo Mamba, Judge Phesheya Dlamini, Judge Sabelo Matsebula, Judge Magriet Van Derwalt and junior security officers were represented by lawyer Thabiso Mavuso from Motsa-Mavuso Attorneys.