EX-POLITICIANS: PAY US BEFORE XMAS

MBABANE – A different gear has been engaged by former politicians who have since written a letter which was copied to the prime minister, demanding payment of their gratuity.

This they expect to happen by Christmas Day and the total amount government has to fork out is around E20.8 million.    
A group of about 10 of the former legislators, mostly members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday went to Parliament where they were engaged in a meeting with the Speaker Petros Mavimbela and Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini.

After the meeting, the ex-MPs also took time to write the letter which was addressed to the clerk, but also copied to the Prime Minister, Ambrose  Mandvulo Dlamini, Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini, Speaker, the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenburg and the Principal Secretary, Bheki Bhembe.      
The former legislators are expected to receive about E372 000, which will be less E45 000 because they were allegedly overpaid in October 2018, yet they were no longer in office.   

The ex-gratia payment is in accordance with the provisions of Finance Circular No.2 of 2013.
One of the former MPs who was part of the delegation that went to Parliament, said it was not the first time they had had such a meeting.
“We once went to enquire about our money and we were told that they (Parliament staff) had made the necessary calculations and forwarded all the information to the Ministry of Finance,” he said.

The ex-legislator said they were told that the ministry had stated that it would only be the new MPs who would receive their pay cheques first before the former legislators were paid.  
 According to the circular, the money is defined as a grant that is payable to former parliamentarians to assist with the costs of adjusting to non-parliamentary life.
Interestingly, the new MPs have been paid their settling-in allowance which was about E83 000 for each MP last week.  
The total amount which is due to the former legislators is E555 816 before tax for each.

This figure is made up of the once-off payment that is equivalent to 12 months’ basic salary.
The former MPs earned a basic salary of E46 318 per month.

However, after the 33 per cent tax deduction, the former lawmakers are expected to receive at least E372 396.
However, it should be noted that the ex-gratia payment would be only available to all parliamentarians who were not to be re-elected or re-appointed into the new Parliament.

This essentially means that about nine members of the House of Assembly will not be receiving the ex-gratia because they won the Secondary Elections.
Among these are Ntfonjeni MP Sifiso Magagula, Mpolonjeni MP Jacob Siwela, Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi and Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo.

The rest are Maseyisini MP Mduduzi Dlamini, Sigwe MP David Ngcamphalala, Pigg’s Peak MP Jabulani Mabuza, Maphalaleni’s Mabulala Maseko and Ntondozi MP Moses Vilakati.

It should be noted that the ex-gratia payment does not include other pension funds, which the members may have been part of.                             
The circular further states that in the event that the parliamentarian does not fully serve the five-year term, the ex-gratia payment would be pro-rated taking into account the actual period served.

“Under no circumstances will a part year served be considered as a full year,” reads the circular.
It further states that should the parliamentarian be dismissed or removed from office due to misconduct or incompetence, the ex-gratia payment would be forfeited.

Records do, however, reveal that all former MPs would receive their full payout.

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