MBABANE – The Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi has tabled a draft conversion law of the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) into a pension fund in the House of Assembly.
The Bill whose objective is conversion of the ENPF to the Eswatini National Pension Fund proposes the establishment and the administering of a wide coverage and employee benefits including for migrant workers in Eswatini, self-employed, belonging in the informal sector, private and or the public sector, regardless of size.
The Bill also proposes social security benefits for construction workers, forestry workers and those who were in non pensionable sectors by enabling both the employer and employees to contribute for their pension.
It contains provisions that seek to address cross-border issues, including seeking to eliminate cover duplication issues for migrant workers not covered by a comparable social security scheme from their home country.
Cross-border social security arrangements as contained in bilateral agreements Eswatini has with other countries could be regulated.
Eswatini residents in the diaspora, subject to the provisions of this Act and the terms and provisions of cross-border social security agreements, and international and regional agreements concerning the position of migrant workers, would be covered.
The Bill is still at a pre-debate stage and is yet to undergo public consultation sessions to be facilitated by the designated portfolio committee.
The House of Assembly Speaker, Jabulani Mabuza, called for urgency in these processes prior to commencement of the Bill debate.
The provident fund (ENPF) which recently celebrated its 50th year of existence was established by the Eswatini National Provident Fund Order No. 23 of 1974
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