![Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo with Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini. [Courtesy pic]](https://www.eswatiniobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/480955224_940003644989639_6961938701189516981_n.jpg "480955224_940003644989639_6961938701189516981_n")
Hhukwini Member of Parliament Alec Lushaba has urged government to bring the long-standing dispute involving Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo to a close, saying the matter has dragged on for too long and was affecting both the office of the government spokesperson and government as a whole.
Debating the Prime Minister’s report in Parliament, Lushaba acknowledged that the matter was before the courts, but appealed for a solution that would allow the country to move forward.
“The issue of the government spokesperson has taken too long. We know it is before the courts, but we are requesting a solution. The office is affected because those who are manning it are not settling well and government is also not in the right position to have such a matter before it. Somewhere, somehow, something must be done so that the country can move past this,” he said.
The dispute stems from government’s attempt to remove Nxumalo from the position following criminal charges he is facing. However, Nxumalo has maintained that he remains the substantive government spokesperson under the three-year contract he signed with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), arguing that only the CSC had the constitutional authority to terminate or vary his employment.
Government initially attempted to resolve the matter through an out-of-court settlement, first offering Nxumalo E420 000 to terminate his contract by mutual agreement. Nxumalo rejected the proposal, insisting that the dispute before the Industrial Court was about enforcing his employment contract and payment of outstanding salary arrears rather than negotiating his departure.
Government later increased its offer to E1.2 million in an effort to end the dispute. Through his legal representatives, Nxumalo again rejected the proposal, maintaining that he wanted to be reinstated and paid all outstanding salaries before any discussions on the future of his contract could take place.
The latest court filings show Nxumalo continuing to insist that he remains the lawful holder of the office and denying that he ever agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent. He has maintained that the matter can only be lawfully dealt with through the Civil Service Commission and not by any other authority.
