Africa-Press – Eswatini. Miccah Nkabinde, the Eswatini National Provident Fund(ENPF) General Manager Operations says, civil servants will enjoy a better life with two(2) pensions after joining the proposed multibillion Eswatini National Pension Fund(ENPF).
Speaking this week, the ENPF General Manager-Operations calmed down fears suggesting that, the proposed Eswatini National Pension Bill 2025 could weaken existing pensions or force workers to “throw away their money.”
But instead, Nkabinde said the proposed conversion or reform is forward-looking and designed to add another layer of protection while strengthening retirement security for every economically active liSwati, including civil servants.
“This is about securing dignity, expanding coverage, and making sure every worker retires with more, not less,” he said.
The Eswatini National Pension Bill 2025, currently before Parliament, has ignited intense debate across the country with some claiming the conversion could undermine the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF), create massive deficits or force civil servants to “throw away their money.”
Concerns were also raised questioning if the conversion “marks the end of lump-sum pay-outs”, restrictions on benefits or even the collapse of the occupational pension system.
But the Eswatini National Provident Fund General Manager Operations dismissed these concerns saying, they were misinformed.
“This is not about reducing benefits, it’s about strengthening retirement security. Civil servants will be better off, not worse off under the proposed National Pension Scheme. Two Layers of Retirement Security. The Bill proposes conversion of ENPF into a universal Eswatini National Pension Fund (NPF). Rather than replacing occupational pension schemes such as the PSPF, it adds a second layer of protection”, he said.
On another note, Nkabinde described the proposed conversion of the Provident Fund into a National Pension Fund as complementary and that, it must not be viewed as a competing entity to the Public Service Pension Fund. He said ccupational funds like the PSPF remain employer-based and continue to provide pensions based on salaries.
But the National Pension Fund covers all economically active emaSwati, including those in the informal sector, seasonal workers, and the self-employed.
As a result, Nkabinde said at retirement, a civil servant will draw two(2) pensions, one from the PSPF and another from the ENPF adding that, in the event of death, dependents will receive survivors’ benefits from both.
“This is about complementarity, not competition.The National Pension Fund strengthens what already exists by ensuring broader coverage and higher combined benefits,” he said.
When addressing the fear of collapse of the PSPF, the General Manager Operations said, ENPF will collect a smaller amount of money from civil servants’ salaries and the larger amount will go to the PSPF.
“Contributions to ENPF are capped. For example; on a salary of E10, 000, only E400 goes to ENPF while the rest stays with the PSPF. On a salary of E15,000, E400 goes to ENPF and E2,600 stays with PSPF. The occupational fund still retains the bulk of contributions,” said the ENPF General Manager Operations.
Source: swazilandnews
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