E80 000 FOR OBED’S FUNERAL?

MBABANE – Government is expected to spend E80 000 on the State funeral of the late former Prime Minister Obed Dlamini, who died on Tuesday in South Africa.

Obed became the fifth former prime minister to pass on after Princes Makhosini, Maphevu, Bhekimphi and Mbilini.
Government is also expected to pay a monthly allowance of E5 000 to Obed’s widow, Miriam, until she dies.

The widow will be entitled to free medical treatment at the government health institutions.
Government will also identify social welfare workers who shall make regular visits to monitor her welfare needs.  This will be done on a regular basis – at least once per month. When she dies, government is expected to spend E30 000 on her funeral.
These are the benefits for former prime ministers and beneficiaries contained in Finance Circular No.1 of 2010 and validated by Finance Circular No.2 of 2013.

Reads the section that validates the benefits for the former prime ministers which were contained in the previous Circular: “All former prime ministers and deputy prime ministers employed under preceding Circulars are subject to the terms and conditions of that respective Circular.”

Most of the former prime ministers were subject to the terms and conditions of Finance Circular No.1 of 2010 because the previous Circulars under which they were employed did not contain the post-service benefits.
There was only one notable post-service benefit for the former prime minister which was contained in Finance Circular No.3 of 2005 and Finance Circular No.2 of 2009.
In those Circulars, a former prime minister was only given a personal assistant at government’s expense.

This lone benefit was enjoyed by current Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini and Absalom Themba Dlamini, popularly known as AT.
Themba had succeeded Sibusiso Dlamini in 2003 and the latter was reappointed by the King to the same position in 2008. 
Bheki Bhembe, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, said he was not the appropriate authority over the matter as it was very sensitive since Cabinet had already appointed a team to work on logistics of the former prime minister’s funeral.
Percy Simelane, Government Press Secretary, had not responded to a questionnaire sent to him on Friday.

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