MBABANE – Questions have been raised about a trip to South Africa taken by Ministry of Labour and Social Security Portfolio Committee members, courtesy of ENPF.
It is alleged that the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) funded the trip to South Africa for the committee to deliberate on the ENPF Bill, 2025.
The trip to Nelspruit, as sources claim, comes at a time when federations affiliated to ENPF are opposing the appointment of Board Chairman, Derrick Shiba.
However, in response to that, Minister for Labour and Social Security, Phila Buthelezi, said Parliament work and issues of board at ENPF do not coincide.
Just two weeks ago, the Times SUNDAY reported that a visit by the Minister for Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, to a farm in Badplaas, South Africa, linked to the Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) Founder Pastor Chong Yang Kim, has been marred by controversy.
The minister is said to have visited the farm, which houses a leisure resort, last week. While there, he allegedly got wind that some Members of Parliament (MPs), who form part of the ministry’s portfolio committee were on their way to the same place.
Interestingly, the MPs had just returned from a trip to Cape Town, which attracted criticism from various quarters, as some of them are part of a Parliament Select Committee elected to probe the same institution.
The ministry’s portfolio committee is chaired by Mhlume Member of Parliament (MP) Sifiso Magagula and the Vice Chairman is Hhohho Region MP, Tanele Magagula.
Members of the committee are Gege MP, Magesi Dlamini, Mpolonjeni MP Kwanele Ndzimandze, Madlangampisi MP Allen Vilane, Mhlambanyatsi MP Bonginkosi Dlamini, Shiselweni I MP Shawnette Henwood and Nkomiyahlaba MP Mduduzi Dlamini.
The object of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of the Eswatini National Pension Fund, conversion of the Eswatini National Provident Fund to the Eswatini National Pension Fund, repeal of the Eswatini National Provident Fund Order No. 23 of 1974 and incidental matters.
However, the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) has openly opposed the inclusion of civil servants in the proposed conversion of the ENPF.
The conversion to a pension fund means that the ENPF will change to a defined benefit scheme. Under this form of pension scheme, at retirement, a member will receive a monthly payment until they die, as well as a lump-sum pay-out, which will be a certain percentage of the entire savings calculated based on the years one had been part of the scheme.
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SA trips an established practice lately – Gina
MBABANE – Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) Secretary General, Mduduzi Gina, says the trips to South Africa by Parliament committees have become an established practice.
Gina was requested to share his take on the submission by Minister for Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi that the committee requested to convene in South Africa because they were confronted and disrupted by members of the PSUs while deliberating on the Bill at Pigg’s Peak Hotel.
Gina said he was aware that PSU leaders did go to Pigg’s Peak but he was not sure if there was any confrontation between them and the committee members. Gina said he does not agree that it was the reason the committee went to South Africa, save to say it was now a common practice by the different Parliament committees and stakeholders to take the trips to the neighbouring country.
“Various Parliament committees and various State-owned enterprises are taking the trips to South Africa frequently and it has become standard practice. They are following some established practice that has been done by other committees before them,” he said.
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