Cleopas to get over E2m house

MBABANE – Just two years in office, Cleopas Sipho Dlamini is expected to get a house valued at over E2 million from government.

However, Ambrose Mandvu lo Dlamini would have gotten a mansion from government the cost of over E4 million if he lived to complete his term of office.

Mandvulo died on December 13, 2020. According to Finance No. 2 of 2013, Cleopas, the new Prime Minister, is eligible for the house benefit, regardless of the fact that he will be in office for two years. He qualifies for reappointment as prime ministers can only serve two consecutive terms.

If he is not reappointed in 2023 by the King to serve another five years, the taxpayer would have to start thereupon to look after him.

Precedent was set in 2018 as government released E4 million for a project titled “the construction of the prime minister’s residence.”

It was meant for the benefit of the late former Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini.

It is stated in the Government Budget Estimates for the years 2019 to 2021 that an exact amount of E4 095 000 was spent on this project, hence it is reflected as an actual expenditure.

The first PM to get a house in accordance with Finance Circular No. 2 of 2013 is Barnabas. It has not been established if the sum of E 4095000 was paid to his estate. The late prime minister could not build what he referred to as ‘ lidlokolo’ ( village hut) on land that he had acquired at Lugaganeni in Manzini as he died on September 28, 2018. He had fully served his term of office at the time of his death; resulting in his eligibility for the house benefit. Under normal circumstances, it must be said that politicians serve a term of five years. However, Section 68 ( 7) ( b) of the Constitution provides that any period served in an office within the life of Parliament constitutes a ‘ term of office’.

COVERED

Sources said Cleopas was, t herefore, covered by Section 68 ( 7) of the Constitution, making him eligible to get the mansion from the taxpayer. Another benefit that Cleopas will get is a car, which shall be of the same status as those that are in current service. Eswatini prime ministers are usually chauffeured in latest Mercedes Benzes. He will also be entitled to a personal assistant and a monthly pension grant of E63 605.60 until he dies. The monthly pension grant translates to 80 per cent of his basic salary of E79 507.42. He was appointed as the prime minister by His Majesty King Mswati III at Ludzidzini Royal Residence on July 16, 2021.

Actually, he succeeds Mandvulo, who served the country as the prime minister for two years and two months. He ( Mandvulo) had been appointed in October 2018. In his absence, Themba Masuku, the substantive Deputy Prime Minister, had been exercising the functions of the office of the prime minister for about seven months. It, therefore, effectively means that Masuku and Mandvulo jointly occupied the office of the prime minister for the combined period of about three years, leaving Cleopas with the remaining two years to complete the term of office for the 11th Parliament. “The State s hall provide a house for the prime minister at the end of his term of office. The house shall belong to the prime minister whether built on nation land or title deed property,” reads Article 5.3 of Finance Circular No. 2 of 2013. Article 5.4 reads: “the State shall provide a vehicle to a retiring prime minister and his deputy of the same status as those that are in service. These will be owned and maintained by the government beyond their term of office. On the death of the former prime minister or deputy, the official car shall be sold to his estate at a depreciated value.”

That is not the only benefit to which Cleopas will be entitled as he will be afforded security in line with the risk profile as determined by the national commissioner of police. He will be eligible for these benefits unless they hold an appointive or elective position in government to which a rate of pay is attached. This relates to the monthly pension grant which shall come to an end when he dies. Masuku, the Deputy Prime Minister, will also enjoy the same benefits.

“Upon the prime minister and deputy prime minister’s retirement from office, with effect from the day following the day that he/ she vacates office, a taxable monthly pension benefit be paid to him/ her equal to 80 per cent of the monthly basic salary payable the day prior to his/ her retirement, and such pension benefit to be increased annually in line with approved civil service salary adjustments,” r eads Article 5.1. The post- service compensation that the present prime minister will receive from government is only prospective; and not retrospective.

PRECEDING

According to the circular, all former prime minister sand deputy prime ministers employed under preceding circulars are subject to the terms and conditions of service of that respective document. However, it must be said that upon the death of the prime minister and deputy prime minister or a former prime minister and deputy prime minister, with effect from the day of his demise, these benefits shall come to an end. Neal Rijkenberg, the Minister of Finance, said the current prime minister would definitely be eligible for the house benefit. Rijkenberg said the quantum of the house benefit might be proportionate to the time he has been in office. “The Royal Commission will probably look into it closer to the time,” said the minister of Finance. Due to his short stint in office, a source said it was likely he would receive a house valued at E1.5 million or E2 million. From a taxpayer’s perspective, Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers ( SNAT), said the current prime minister should not get the full benefit of politicians who have served for five years. He said government introduced what is today known as ‘ no work no pay’, which means an employee is paid according to the number of days he was at work. He explained that SNAT did not mean politicians should stay in village huts or buy second- hand vehicles. However, he pointed out that their benefits should be commensurate with the service they rendered to the public. He said the postservice benefits they received from government were unfair to the taxpayer. Dlamini mentioned that Finance Circular No. 2 of 2013 was formulated when Barnabas was in office. “We were least pleased with Barnabas but he gets a house from us. Mandvulo was trying but there’s nothing he did for us except the three per cent Cost of Living Adjustments ( COLA) we have just received,” he said.

A legal source in government said the current prime minister could have a leg to stand on if he were not to be given the house as a terminal benefit.

He said the circular made it clear the house benefit was created for the retiring prime minister. “In this case, Cleopas will be a retiring prime minister in 2023. Therefore, government is expected to construct a house for him,” the lawyer, who preferred to address the issue on condition of anonymity, said.