Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Lidlelantfongeni Stakeholder Recognition Awards, organised by the Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF), has celebrated eight employers who have demonstrated exemplary compliance with statutory contribution obligations; setting a high standard of accountability, fairness and social responsibility in the country’s private sector.
At the fourth edition of the Awards ceremony, held on Friday 28 November in Manzini, ENPF’s Chief Executive Officer, Futhi Tembe, publicly honoured the firms whose consistent contributions protect the financial security of their employees and strengthen the nation’s social‐security architecture.
“Compliance is not just a requirement; it is a commitment to fairness, sustainability, and the well‐being of our workforce,” Tembe told assembled guests, urging businesses to regard statutory contributions not as a burden, but as a core duty to their staff and the broader community.
By law, under the Swaziland National Provident Fund Order, 1974, employers are obliged to register with ENPF and make regular statutory contributions for every eligible employee.
These contributions are more than administrative obligations, they form the bedrock of a social‐security system that protects workers at retirement, in the event of invalidity, retrenchment, or other life events that might compromise their ability to earn.
The Awards are more than bureaucratic recognition. They send a powerful message to the corporate community that adherence to statutory obligations is a badge of honour, not a compliance chore. The event seeks to encourage a culture where employers lead by example, prioritise workers’ welfare, and view compliance as integral to business ethics and national development.
CEO Tembe, said the Awards reaffirm the national values of accountability, fairness, social protection, and long‐term thinking.
“Your dedication to compliance sets a benchmark for others to follow,” she told the awardees. “You have shown that success and responsibility go hand in hand.”
Significantly, this year’s Awards also spotlighted three employers who voluntarily paid 100 % of statutory contributions on behalf of their employees, foregoing the employee deduction entirely. Tembe described this practice as a shining example of corporate social responsibility.
CEO Tembe urged all employers, especially small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), to draw inspiration from the winners, adopt ENPF’s digital submission tools, improve internal record‐keeping, and prioritise timely and full contributions. “Let these awards inspire us to uphold the highest standards in every aspect of our operations,” she said.
Meet the 2025 ENPF Awardees
The eight honoured employers span different economic sectors; forestry, construction, agriculture, logistics, and vary from large, established firms to smaller, emerging enterprises. Their recognition demonstrates that integrity and compliance are achievable across diverse business types. They are as follows:
Top Compliant – Forestry: Swazi Treated Timber (Pty) Ltd (262 members)
Top Compliant – Forestry: Mejt Investments (91 members)
Top Compliant – Construction SMEs: Alternative Energy (63 members)
Top Compliant – Construction SMEs: Seno Construction (49 members)
Top Compliant – Agriculture / Cane cutters: Vuka Sidwashini Farmers Association (83 members)
Top Compliant – Agriculture / Cane cutters: Umbane (Pty) Ltd (73 members)
Top Compliant – Agriculture / Cane cutters: Africa Link Logistics (Pty) Ltd (45 members)
Employers paying 100 % statutory contributions: CYB/SAB Investments (Pty) Ltd, Xoolplash Investment (Pty) Ltd
These companies have demonstrated consistent record‐keeping, timely remittances, and responsibility towards statutory obligations; all essential components of compliance, according to ENPF. While the immediate impact of compliance is protection for individual workers, the benefits ripple outward.
Financial security and dignity for workers
Compliance ensures that every eligible employee builds a retirement nest‐egg over time, able to support themselves in old age, upon retrenchment, or in case of invalidity. Under ENPF’s benefit scheme, members become eligible for age benefit at 50 years, or earlier (from age 45) if they have retired from regular employment.
Additionally, in unfortunate circumstances such as disability or incapacity to work, ENPF provides invalidity benefits, offering protection against financial hardship.
Thus, employer compliance is not just about law‐abiding behaviour; it is a moral duty to secure workers’ futures and provide them with dignity in retirement or during hardship.
For the employers recognised, compliance is a signal of integrity, fairness, and responsible business practice. By paying full and timely contributions, and in some cases, covering the full share on behalf of employees, they position themselves as organisations that value their workers beyond immediate labour needs.
As CEO Tembe pointed out, such employers should be ambassadors and role models for others.
“Let these awards inspire us to uphold the highest standards in every aspect of our operations… Together, we build a stronger, more sustainable future for our members.”
CEO Tembe challenged all employers to rise to the standard set by the Award winners. She emphasised that compliance is not optional: it is the fundamental contract between employer, employee, and the nation’s social‐security system.
Tembe urged employers, including SMMEs, to take advantage of ENPF’s digital submission tools, to improve records management, and to ensure timely contribution remittances. She reiterated the importance of clear communication with employees about their contributions, and of transparency in wage deductions.
In addition, the Fund continues to encourage voluntary supplementary contributions, which allow employers or employees (or both) to contribute above the statutory minimum. Such top‐ups, CEO Tembe said, remain a cornerstone for those who wish to build a more secure retirement cushion.
By promoting both statutory and supplementary contributions, ENPF seeks to foster a culture where retirement savings are treated as a shared responsibility, a bedrock for social development and long‐term financial inclusion.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Lidlelantfongeni Stakeholder Recognition Awards demonstrate that compliance with statutory contribution obligations can, and should, be celebrated. By honouring companies across sectors and sizes, ENPF underscores that integrity, fairness, and responsibility are not reserved for large corporates, they are achievable by all.
In a country where formal employment often translates to uncertainty for workers, employer compliance with the ENPF Order represents a safeguard: a guarantee that hard‐working individuals can expect dignity in old age, security in hardship, and a stake in the future.
For employers, compliance is not merely a legal obligation, but a powerful statement of corporate citizenship, an investment in human capital and national well‐being.
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