Sunday, March 1, 2026 by Vumile Mavimbela

 

A new funeral plan launched in Eswatini aims to change how families manage the costs and logistics of a burial. Sizotsa Funeral Cover, introduced by Old Mutual Eswatini, focuses on affordability, accessibility and flexibility - with one standout promise: Once enrolled, a person is covered for life.

The product responds to a clear need. Funerals carry both emotional weight and financial strain, especially in close-knit communities where tradition and dignity are paramount. Sizotsa positions itself as more than just a policy; it’s a guarantee that wishes will be honoured and that loved ones will be supported quickly when grief strikes.

Design and scope

Sizotsa offers options that suit individuals, nuclear families and extended households. Individual plans serve singles, young adults and the elderly.

Family cover accommodates nine lives, typically two spouses and six children, while an extended option includes up to eight relatives such as grandparents, parents, in-laws, cousins, uncles and aunts.

In total the range can cover up to 18 lives under certain configurations.

Benefit levels range from E10 000 to E80 000, giving households the ability to choose a sum insured that reflects their traditions and budget. Entry ages vary by plan: family benefits accept entrants aged 18 to 60; other dependents may join between 18 and 70 (with benefits capped at E15 000 for those aged 56 and above).

Child cover begins from 26 weeks and continues to age 21, or to 25 if the child is still in school.

The benefit also does provide whole of life cover for physically impaired children who require guardianship support. 

Affordability and payment flexibility

A core objective of Sizotsa is to make meaningful funeral cover attainable. Payment options include source deduction for civil servants and private companies, debit orders and mobile wallets.

These methods are intended to make contributions manageable and predictable, ensuring that households across urban and rural areas can maintain cover without undue strain.

Sizotsa includes rider features designed to deliver timely and practical support. There is a six-month waiting period for natural cause claims, while accidental cover takes effect immediately and pays double for the main life insured.

An income replacement rider provides a short-term monthly stipend, choices of E1 000, E1 500 or E2 000, for six months following the death of the main life, helping families cover living expenses while they grieve.

Claims and access

Speed and simplicity are our priorities: approved benefits are paid into beneficiaries’ bank accounts within 24 hours.

Accessibility is also central to the programme’s rollout. A digital presence, including WhatsApp purchasing journey is in place to make enrolment and enquiries straightforward. Customers can purchase Sizotsa directly at Old Mutual service centres, through partnered brokers, or via outreach the service centres.

Sizotsa arrives against the backdrop of Old Mutual’s long history in Africa: the company issued its first policy nearly 180 years ago and has been operating in Eswatini since 2008. That heritage informs the product’s emphasis on reliability and community-oriented solutions, rather than innovation for its own sake.

Sizotsa Funeral Cover seeks to blend tradition with practical protection: lifelong cover, a range of family options, rapid claims payment and multiple convenient payment channels.

The product is not just an offering; it is Old Mutual’s renewed pledge to protect lives and preserve dignity. For emaSwati, by emaswati, Sizotsa delivers lifelong cover, affordability, accessibility and the flexibility families need to face tomorrow with confidence.

Sizotsa offers options that suit individuals, nuclear families and extended households. Individual plans serve singles, young adults and the elderly. (Courtesy pic)