The Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) has sponsored the National Media Awards with E180 000 as part of its efforts to strengthen public understanding of tax compliance and help bridge the E5 billion gap between the national budget and projected revenue.
ERS Commissioner General Brightwell Nkambule said the sponsorship was an investment in a partnership with the media, which he expects to help local citizens understand their role in funding the national budget. Nkambule explained that when the national budget was presented in 2011, it stood at E36.9 billion, while projected revenue was E31.9 billion, leaving a gap of E5 billion. He said the gap highlighted the need for sustainable sources of revenue to fund government expenditure, rather than relying heavily on borrowing or Southern African Customs Union (SACU) receipts, which can fluctuate from year to year.
“Domestic is us. It’s Emaswati funding the budget directly,” Nkambule said. He explained that borrowing to cover a budget shortfall came at a cost because government had to repay the borrowed amount together with interest. SACU revenue, meanwhile, could rise or fall, making it less predictable.
Nkambule said domestic revenue was, therefore, an important source of funding and that the media had a role to play in helping taxpayers understand their responsibilities.
“Our expectation from this engagement is that you, as the media, through this partnership, are going to work with us in helping our taxpayers, helping Emaswati understand their role in funding the budget,” he said.
He described the media as a link between the revenue authority and the public, saying the sponsorship was intended to strengthen communication on tax compliance and the country’s revenue needs.
The E180 000 sponsorship will support the partnership through which ERS wants the media to communicate key tax compliance initiatives to the public.
Among the areas identified by ERS is the filing of tax returns by high-net-worth individuals. Nkambule said the category had been redefined to include individuals whose combined assets are worth more than E3 million. He said those who fall within this category are expected to file their returns by the end of October, with their contributions in November being important for government revenue.
ERS is also encouraging businesses registered for Value Added Tax (VAT) to enrol in the electronic invoicing system introduced by government.
Nxumalo said the system was intended to make it easier for businesses to report their transactions as they issue invoices. The service plans to prioritise businesses in the wholesale and retail sectors in encouraging the use of the system.
Another area of focus is the declaration of goods at the country’s ports of entry. Nxumalo said when travellers and traders fail to declare goods correctly, the country could lose the share of customs revenue it would otherwise receive.
“We don’t just lose the share. We give it to the other countries,” he said, urging people entering the country with goods to declare them and provide the relevant invoices.
The partnership will also promote the Authorised Economic Operator programme, which is intended to help trusted traders move goods across borders with fewer stops after completing the required enrolment process.
Nkambule said the programme formed part of ERS’ trade facilitation work, which aims to make it easier for goods to move into and out of the country. He said the four areas – tax return filing by high-net-worth individuals, electronic invoicing, correct declaration of goods at the borders and the Authorised Economic Operator programme – would form part of the information communicated through the media partnership.
Nkambule said ERS had a formula for assessing the returns from the E180 000 investment and would calculate the value generated by the partnership. He said the service hoped the partnership would deliver results that could support further investment in the initiative in future.
Partnership to improve accuracy of news – Mbingo
The partnership between the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) and National Media Awards is expected to help improve journalism and ensure the public receives accurate information, Editors Forum Chairman Mbongeni Mbingo has said.
Mbingo said investing in journalists was important because well-informed reporters were better placed to produce accurate stories and help the public understand issues affecting the country.
He was speaking during a media awards sponsorship event attended by representatives of ERS, the Eswatini National Association of Journalists (ENAJ) and the Editors Forum.
Mbingo said the partnership was an opportunity to develop journalists and improve the quality of work produced in newsrooms, while helping the revenue authority achieve its public information goals.
“Your partnership and investment in us is a call to action for the media in this country,” he said.
He said the media awards provided an incentive for journalists to continue working in newsrooms and take their professional responsibilities seriously.
Mbingo added that the benefits of supporting journalists went beyond recognising individual achievements, as the training and development of reporters could improve the information reaching the public.
He said editors relied on journalists to provide well-researched information that would enable them to publish stories that served readers.
“We publish what comes to us. But more importantly, we publish what we believe we are best informed in,” he said.
Mbingo said the partnership would help journalists improve their reporting, particularly in areas linked to the ERS work, including domestic revenue and customs.
He encouraged other organisations to support the media, saying such partnerships could contribute to the development of journalism and the country.
The Editors Forum chairman also thanked ERS for recognising the importance of the media and investing in the National Media Awards.
He said the partnership demonstrated the value of cooperation between the media and other stakeholders in supporting professional development.
Meanwhile, Eswatini National Association of Journalists President Lwazi Dlamini welcomed the ERS support, describing it as a partnership rather than simply sponsorship.
Dlamini said ERS had supported one category during the previous edition of the awards, but had expanded its involvement this year.
He said the support had increased from E25 000 for one category in the previous edition to E180 000 this year.
Dlamini said the increased contribution was an opportunity for journalists to help address the country’s revenue collection challenges.
He referred to the ERS commissioner general’s remarks on the need to help bridge the national budget gap of E5 billion.
The ERS is supporting the Journalist of the Year categories in Domestic Revenue and Customs in this year’s awards.
Dlamini said the association appreciated the partnership and encouraged journalists to take advantage of the competition to demonstrate the quality of their work.
Entries for the awards are already open, with ERS identifying domestic revenue and customs as key areas of focus for the sponsored categories.
