MBABANE – Former Deputy Prime Minister and trailblazer Senator Constance Simelane has been remembered as a devoted public servant who touched lives across Eswatini and beyond.
Leading tributes during the memorial service, His Majesty King Mswati III’s representative, Regional Administrator Themba Masuku, described the late senator as a woman of distinction and deep integrity.
“She followed in the footsteps of her father, Funwako Simelane, who was the country’s first black Minister of Finance after independence,” said Masuku. “She was trustworthy, loyal and had a rare ability to resolve difficult matters. These qualities earned her a position with the United Nations.”
Known for her compassion, Simelane supported the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Grant and was instrumental in sustaining the Zondle Boys Home and a girls’ shelter in Hlathikulu.
Acting Deputy Prime Minister Phila Buthelezi said the senator’s death was a loss not only to government but to the nation at large.
“She offered wisdom that only experience can provide. Her Majesty appointed her Minister for Education in 2003, then as the first woman to serve as Deputy Prime Minister,” he said.
During her term as Minister for Education, she introduced the Education OVC Grant, which paid school fees for vulnerable learners. This year alone, 19,436 pupils benefited from the programme.
Buthelezi also recalled her push for the re-admission of pregnant girls into school—a once controversial policy that is now embraced across the education sector.
At a local level, Simelane remained active in community work. Eunice Ngwenya, a leader from the Class for the Elderly at the church where she worshipped, remembered her as a pillar in both the church and society.
“Make Constance was more than a national leader. She was our mother. May her soul rest in peace,” said Ngwenya.
Choir member Bakhile Lukhele credited Simelane for elevating the church choir’s standards, including sponsoring uniforms and organising end-of-year events.
Nokukhanya Gamedze of Zondle Boys Home spoke of Simelane’s enduring legacy in child welfare. “She worked with the Simelane family to provide food and support for our children. Her love for them was unmatched,” said Gamedze.
Superintendent Vuyokazi May, who delivered the scripture reading from Psalm 116, described Simelane as a “seasoned Christian whose heart was fully given to Christ.”
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