Africa-Press – Eswatini. In two weeks time, the newly sworn in legislators will be over E120 000 richer as they will receive double their salary on pay day.
The politicians, who took an oath of office and allegiance last Thursday, will be remunerated not less than E127 074.72. This remuneration is based on the provisions made by Finance Circular No.2 of 2023, which outlines a number of perks they have to be afforded for the office they have assumed. According to the Circular, they will get a once-off settling in allowance, which is equivalent to their remuneration. For an ordinary Member of Parliament (MP), the basic salary is E51 104.83. In addition to this, MPs are entitled to a car allowance of E10 833.33 per month; a constituency allowance of E6 388.10, which is 12.5 per cent of their basic salary; a housing allowance which is 10 per cent of their basic salary which is E5 110.48; communication allowance of E1 000 and utilities equivalent to three per cent of their salary, which at this instance amounts to E1 533.15.
Deductions
This translates to each MP being paid E127 074.72 before deductions for their statutory tax obligations. The amount also excludes their sitting allowances of E350 per sitting for an ordinary member and E450 for chairpersons. However, after this month, the backbenchers’ salaries will be reduced by E51 104.83, as the settling allowance is a once-off payment, set to assist them relocate. It also excludes the loans they shall be accessible to, set to improve their status as politicians, which include E200 000 to cover security facilities in their residential homes. This remuneration structure shall also be duplicated in the House of Senate upon the appointment of the 20 senators by His Majesty King Mswati III, which is then added upon by 10 more senators elected by the august House. The election of the senators, who five are males and the other half are females, is envisaged to be engaged upon this week.
Most paid
Meanwhile, in the House of Assembly, the highest paid person shall be Speaker. Jabulani Clement Mabuza, who was the Minister of Agriculture in the 11th Parliament, shall this month take home E183 696.66. This amount is derived from doubling his salary through the provision of the settling-in allowance, his constituency allowance of E6 388.10, housing allowance of E18 099.65 and the entertainment allowance of E7 239.80. Mabuza shall also get E5 000 as his communication allowance, E2 171.95 for his utilities and also be afforded a State sponsored vehicle, which shall be a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado LC Prado 3.0D VX (25X) or equivalent. In fact, this shall be Mabuza’s third vehicle allocated to him by the State and depreciated to zero per cent at the end of his term. This is because in the deceased Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini-led 10th Parliament, the politician who was elected by the Pigg’s Peak Constituency, was a minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs. In his tenure, from 2013 -2018, he was allocated a BMW X5, which was benchmarked at E800 000 at the time. Subsequent to that term, the Pigg’s Peak Constituency electorate re-elected Mabuza, wherein he was appointed the minister of Agriculture in the 11th Parliament.
Allocated
During this period, Cabinet ministers were allocated a similar vehicle to what has been provisioned for in his new term – Toyota Land Cruiser Prado LC Prado 3.0D VX (25X).
Meanwhile, Madala Mhlanga, will atleast this month be paid not less than E147 716.99. This is because Mhlanga, who was re-elected Deputy Speaker, shall have a basic salary of E59 622.33 which shall, only for this month, be paid twice to accommodate his settling-in allowance. He shall also be paid E13 333.33 as his vehicle allowance, E6 388.10 as constituency allowance, E5 962.23 as housing allowance, E1 000 as communication allowance and E1 788.67 for his utilities. On the other hand, constituency councilors (tindvuna tetinkhundla) shall be paid their regular remuneration of E24 316.27 excluding their E1 400 sitting allowance, which accommodates four sittings per month at E350 apiece.
Inclusive
This amount shall be inclusive of their basic salary of E9 639.16, a car allowance of E7 500, constituency allowance of E6 388.10, E500 communication allowance and E289.17 for utilities. Also, returning chiefdom councilors (bucopho) shall see a difference of E5 000 in their remuneration this month. His is because those who have been re-elected were not allocated the E5 000 monthly allowance, which has since been brought by Finance Circular No.2 of 2023. This improvement in their welfare shall see them taking home not less than E19 783.73.
The money is derived from the aforementioned car allowance, their basic salary of E7 665.66, constituency allowance of E6 388.10, communication allowance of E500 and utilities allowance of E229.97.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
