By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MBABANE:Masotja Vilakati, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Public Service Pension Fund(PSPF) is in the process of amending the Pension Fund Order of 1993 with an alleged intention to include girlfriends and ‘Ben 10s’ of married civil servants as beneficiaries in the event a Government employee dies.

This was discussed on Thursday evening at the Hilton Hotel-Mbabane, the PSPF was also lobbying Members of Parliament(MPs) to reject the Eswatini National Pension Fund(ENPF) Bill that seeks to convert the Provident Fund into a Pension Fund.

But in South Africa and other countries, a girlfriend of a married man or a boyfriend of a married woman could potentially be considered as a beneficiary if that boyfriend or girlfriend “produces evidence suggesting that, he or she was financially reliant on the member of the Pension Fund”.

The evidence might include a bank transfer, mobile money, ewallet or any evidence substantiating that, there was a relationship and the boyfriend or girlfriend of the deceased was financially dependent on the late married woman or man.

MPs are highly expected to debate the amendments of the Public Service Pension Fund Order and the changes will be implemented once the law is passed with amendments.

Masotja Vilakati, the Pension Fund CEO was not available for a comment but, some of his officials were lecturing MPs on Thursday evening regarding the proposed amendments.

Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Friday morning, lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said, the Pension Fund has been paying a share to girlfriends and boyfriends of deceased civil servants adding that, maybe “they want to formalize” this by amending the Pension Fund Order. 

“It has been happening and maybe they want to formalize it through the law. I will make an example; if you are married but, you have a girlfriend or boyfriend and there’s evidence that includes bank transfer and/or e-wallet and even mobile money suggesting that, you were taking care of your boyfriend or girlfriend monthly, while still alive, then the Pension Fund is obligated to pay part of your pension to your girlfriend or boyfriend. The girlfriend or boyfriend can approach the Pension Fund with the evidence and receive a share”, said the lawyer.