BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The Eswatini government has spent E496.4 million during the 2024/25 financial year to support elderly citizens and people with disabilities.
According to the annual performance report from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO), 85 844 elderly citizens benefited from grants, an increase from 83 123 in the previous financial year. Similarly, the disability grant supported Government spending on the elderly and people with disabilities.
Elderly Grants and Disability Grants
According to the annual performance report for the 2024/25 financial year from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO):
- The elderly grants benefited 85 844 elderly citizens, an increase from 83 123 in the previous financial year.
- The Disability grants benefited 16 974 Persons with Disabilities, an increase from 14 802 in the previous year.
- A total of around E496.4 million has been spent on the elderly and disability grants for the ten-month period.
Budget Allocation and Expenditure
- The DPMO received an annual recurrent budget allocation of E903 349 517 for the 2024/2025 financial year.
- The budget released as of 31st January 2025 amounted to E901 752 482.
- The actual expenditure incurred amounted to E677 386 706, leaving a balance of E224 365 776, which are committed funds to be paid on the outstanding grants for February and March 2025.
Improving Service Delivery
- The DPMO finalised its five-year Strategic Plan (2023/24 – 2027/28) to improve service delivery, which was endorsed and approved by Cabinet.
- The Office is developing a National Dynamic Social Registry (NDSR) to improve targeting for social protection programmes, with a budget of E5 million from the government and additional support from the World Bank.
- The DPMO was allocated E1.16 million for the rehabilitation of Manzini Social Welfare Offices to extend its reach and efficiency in service delivery.
Child Protection and Educational Support
- The DPMO made significant strides in child protection, processing over 5 025 child maintenance cases, 1 607 abuse cases, and 2 500 counselling sessions.
- Educational support was extended to 62 677 children under the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme, an increase from 58 847 in the previous financial year.
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