BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
LOBAMBA– Government is moving to protect social grants and other social assistance programmes through legislation, a move aimed at ensuring support for vulnerable EmaSwati continues even after donor funding comes to an end.
Deputy Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla made the announcement on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, while responding to Members of Parliament during debate on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s First Quarter Performance Report in the House of Assembly.
She said the Office was at an advanced stage of finalising the Older Persons Bill, which would first be presented to Cabinet before being tabled in Parliament for debate and adoption.
“The Older Persons Bill is at an advanced stage. Once completed, it will be presented to Cabinet before coming to Parliament for adoption,” said Dladla.
She said the Office was also developing the National Social Assistance Policy to strengthen the country’s social protection system and provide legal backing for assistance programmes.
Responding to questions on the sustainability of donor-funded programmes, Dladla said Government intended to ensure critical programmes continued through the national budget once they were anchored in law.
“If a donor-funded programme is provided for in legislation, it will attract Government funding through the national budget, which will ensure continuity,” she said.
The Deputy Prime Minister also disclosed that the Office was drafting legislation to address different forms of abuse.
“The legislation will uncover the different kinds of abuse. It will make it easier to identify people’s needs, determine the appropriate grants and provide support to those who are being abused,” she said.
Member of Parliament Wilton Nkambule applauded the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for what he described as its visible impact across the country. He said the Office had demonstrated its commitment to improving the lives of EmaSwati and observed that its work had become more visible under the current administration.
Nkambule asked what policies were in place to ensure donor-funded programmes continued after external funding ended. He also enquired whether the disability grant could be increased to match the Older Persons Grant so beneficiaries could better meet their basic needs.
Responding to the disability grant question, Dladla said the Office recognised the need for an increase.
“The need for an increase in the disability grant is acknowledged and will be addressed through the Disability Fund Regulations, which will also cater for the varying degrees of disability,” she said.
Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga also commended the Office for improving the lives of vulnerable EmaSwati. He stressed the importance of putting in place strong legal and legislative frameworks to ensure social protection programmes continued beyond the tenure of the current Deputy Prime Minister.
He further called for improved targeting of social assistance programmes so that assistance reached the most vulnerable members of society. Mhlanga also praised the ongoing decent shelter programme and encouraged the Office to strengthen economic empowerment initiatives to help beneficiaries become self-reliant and reduce poverty.
The legislator further urged Government to intensify efforts to achieve food security, saying increased local food production would reduce the country’s dependence on imported essential food items.
In response, DPM said the Older Persons Bill and the National Social Assistance Policy were among the legal instruments being developed to institutionalise social protection programmes.
“The Office has already begun developing a legislative framework to guarantee continuity of the programmes already in place for social protection. The National Social Assistance Policy and the Older Persons Bill will ensure these programmes have legal standing and receive support through the national budget,” she said.
She said the proposed laws would strengthen the country’s social protection system and ensure vulnerable EmaSwati continued receiving assistance well into the future.
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(Courtesy Pic)
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