Siphofaneni- The Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) is pushing workers to go beyond the compulsory monthly contribution and make additional savings to improve their retirement benefits.
ENPF Chief Executive Officer Futhi Tembe made the call during the Fund’s Catsatsa Sikuwe! Member Engagement Roadshow in Siphofaneni on Friday, where she engaged workers and management at Tambuti Estates, Phuzumoya Limited, ESWADE and Lomdash Limited.
Tembe encouraged employers to help their employees understand Ingungu, the Fund’s voluntary supplementary contribution, which allows workers to make additional payments to ENPF on top of their compulsory contributions.
“Employers have an important role to play here,” Tembe said. “We encourage employers not only to comply with the statutory requirement but also to educate and encourage their employees to save more where they can,” she added.
She said even a small additional contribution, made consistently over many years, could make a meaningful difference to a member’s eventual benefit.The call comes as the Fund seeks to deepen members’ understanding of how their contributions are managed and the benefits attached to their membership.
Under the current arrangement, the statutory contribution is capped at E430 per month, with E215 paid by the employee and E215 by the employer, based on the 2026 statutory wage ceiling of E4,300.
However, Tembe stressed that workers should not view the compulsory contribution as the only avenue available to build their retirement savings.
The Fund’s latest reported performance also featured prominently during the engagements, with ENPF having declared 10 per cent members’ interest for the financial year ended June 2025, compared to 8.65 per cent in 2024 and 6.5 per cent in 2023.
Tembe said the responsibility of managing members’ money extended beyond collecting contributions. “When people save with Lidlelantfongeni, they are entrusting us with money that represents years of work. Our responsibility is therefore much bigger than simply receiving contributions. We must invest responsibly, manage the Fund carefully and create growth that benefits the member,” she said.
ENPF members are required by law to receive not less than three per cent interest on their savings, according to the information provided by the Fund. The 10 per cent declared for 2025 was therefore above the statutory minimum.
The Fund also used the Siphofaneni engagements to address Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance, with workers urged to ensure that their personal and banking information remains up to date. At Tambuti Estates, 854 of the company’s 1,001 employees had completed KYC, leaving 147 workers outstanding.
ENPF said accurate member information was important in facilitating claims and reducing potential delays caused by outdated or incomplete records.
The Fund further reminded workers that membership benefits extend beyond retirement savings. Qualifying active members are covered under the Siphephelo Free Funeral Cover, which provides E7,500 in the event of natural death and E15,000 for accidental death, subject to the stated eligibility requirements.
Management representatives from the four organizations welcomed the direct engagement, saying it brought the Fund closer to the workers whose contributions it manages. Tambuti Estates Estate Manager Stuart Geldenhuys, Phuzumoya Limited Chairman Luke Dlamini, EWADE CEO Dr Silwayiphi Sithole and Lomdash Limited Chairman Mbhekiseni Ndwandwe were among those who welcomed the roadshow.
They emphasized the importance of workers understanding how their money is managed, the benefits available to them and the need to remain compliant with the Fund.
Workers also used the engagements to raise questions about their benefits, savings, KYC requirements and the management of their contributions.The roadshow forms part of ENPF’s efforts to take information and services directly to members and employers rather than relying solely on workers visiting the Fund’s offices.
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