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NEW ENPF CEO UNVEILED, REVEALS KEY GOAL

23/04/2024 13:02:00 Nonduduzo Kunene

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MBABANE – Incoming Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Futhi Tembe promises to push the conversion of the fund to a pension fund and maintain a culture of excellence and transparency.

Tembe was announced yesterday as the substantive CEO for the ENPF, also known as Lidlelantfongeni by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Phila Buthelezi. Tembe’s appointment came after the fund’s long-serving CEO, Prince Lonkhokhela who was about to retire, was appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III to Senate, where he was also appointed to be the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy. Following the prince’s appointment, Tembe acted in the position for almost six months. The minister, who was accompanied by senior officials of the ministry and the ENPF Board, highlighted that Tembe was not new to ENPF as she had been part of the organisation for quite some time. He mentioned that she was working closely with the former CEO, hence she was the perfect person for the position. Buthelezi added that the new CEO was not appointed based on favouritism or as a form of pity, but her work experience and level of education made her a cut-above-the-rest.

“The recruitment process went through all the stages, including Cabinet where she was endorsed as the new CEO. She is occupying the chair on merit, she has all the credentials and we are confident as a ministry, as the government and as the board, since they did the shortlisting. She is not new to the parastatal, she served in several positions, including being a chief financial officer (CFO). We strongly believe she has the dreams and objectives the King had when he established the ENPF, and through the assistance of the board and stakeholders, including the members, she would continue and grow the fund to serve all the financial needs of emaSwati,” he said. The minister said he was hopeful that the CEO would bring in innovations that would grow the fund and compete even outside the borders of Eswatini.

Terms

The minister said she would occupy the position for three years and hinted that if she performed according to expectations, she might be considered for more terms. As she was delivering her maiden speech, the new CEO said she was deeply honoured and humbled to be trusted with the power to lead the fund. “I would like to take this moment to express my profound gratitude to the honourable minister of labour and Social Security and ministries’ officials, Cabinet and ENPF Board for entrusting me with this huge and significant leadership role,” she said. She said the faith placed in her inspires and motivates her to collaborate with all stakeholders to safeguard the financial future and well-being of the funds members. She said she was committed to leading with the greatest humility and a vision for a bigger and brighter future for all stakeholders, starting with the members of the fund.

She assured that she would listen actively to the members’ needs, foster a culture of transparency and trust and implement strategies that will prioritise their well-being and success. “As I take up this role, I pledge that I shall lead the ENPF, ensuring our actions as the staff of ENPF always resonate with the heart of service.In concordance with His Majesty’s declaration of this year as a year of creating opportunities for all, to stimulate economic growth, I am privileged to steer the ENPF towards contributing to this grand national goal. I commit to championing inclusive financial empowerment and spearheading innovative investment strategies that are robustly grounded in environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles,” she said.

Tembe said it would be their collective endeavour to foster economic growth, forge pathways to prosperity for all and build a brighter future for the nation in alignment with his majesty’s visionary objectives. “Sesitovele sitsi Nkwe siLindlelantfongeni,” she said. Further, Tembe said one of the urgent key strategic initiatives under her stewardship would be to continue to push the conversion of the fund to a pension fund. The CEO said this transformation would secure a financially stable future for the fund’s members and generate significant economic benefits, versus the once-off payment or benefit offered by a provident fund. At an organisational level, she said her goal would be to cultivate a culture of Nkwe, personal accountability, collective excellence, innovation and an open-door policy. “We will nature ideas and ensure that the voices of ENPF members, stakeholders and our staff, remain at the forefront. Our people are our greatest asset, and I am committed to creating an environment where every team member can realise their potential and contribute to our shared vision,” she said.

Tembe extended her sincerest appreciation to her predecessor, Prince Lonkhokhela, for his wisdom, guidance and mentorship as he nurtured them to be leaders. “His leadership has laid a strong foundation upon which we will continue to build,” she said. She appreciated the ENPF Board, executive team, management and the entire staff at ENPF for their commitment to achieving the vision of the fund and the support they gave her during her acting tenure. Meanwhile, ENPF Board Chairperson Mduduzi Gina said they were grateful for the trust that the leadership of the country, cabinet and the minister had on the board. He said they felt that the new CEO was part of the history of the fund. “We are grateful to be one, if not the first social security fund to be led by a woman,” he said. Gina emphasised that the CEO was chosen on merit. The chairperson added that Tembe was not going to get any favours from the board they would continue being tough on her like they were to the previous CEO, as well as ensure to be the eyes and ears of the stakeholders.