16/09/2026
DPM RALLIES LUBOMBO MPs FOR IMBELEKO ROLLOUT
By Nontobeko Mbhamali
HLANE – Deputy Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla has called on Members of Parliament from Lubombo’s 11 Tinkhundla to champion the National Dynamic Social Registry, Imbeleko, to ensure fair and transparent social protection.
Dladla was speaking during a consultative meeting held at Nsulutane Hlane Hotel on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. The meeting brought together Lubombo Regional Administrator, Portfolio Committee Chairperson Hon. Gcina Magagula and MPs from across the region to review progress on the registry and discuss the Shiselweni Region report.
She said government needs accurate identification of vulnerable households to guarantee equitable access to social assistance and eliminate duplication and inclusion errors.
Imbeleko was first piloted in the Shiselweni Region, where full household enumeration was conducted between June and July 2025. The programme was later launched in Lubombo on 26 August 2026 at Lomahasha Inkhundla.
Giving an update on preparations in Lubombo, Dladla said recruitment of 22 supervisors from the 11 Tinkhundla was conducted from 1 to 4 September 2026, followed by the recruitment of 216 data collectors from 8 to 11 September 2026. Successful candidates are now awaiting training.
Training for supervisors and data collectors is scheduled for 28 September to 6 October 2026, with full data collection set to run from 12 October to 27 November 2026 across every household in the region.
Matsanjeni North MP Hon. Phila Buthelezi, who is also Minister of Labour and Social Security, welcomed the engagement. He said the platform allows MPs to confront societal challenges head-on and pleaded for equitable distribution of resources once data is available to avoid favouritism. He said each Inkhundla should benefit, citing housing projects as an example.
Hon. Joseph Souza questioned why Shiselweni is labelled the poorest region when Lubombo appears to face greater hardship, noting that children in Lubombo walk over 5km to school while schools are closer in Shiselweni. Officials clarified that the conclusion is based on verified statistics from Shiselweni, while Lubombo’s report is yet to be finalised.
The Shiselweni report presented at the meeting revealed that Maseyisini and Shiselweni II are the poorest Tinkhundla in that region. It further found that persons with disabilities mostly come from needy homesteads and that the NEET population - youth Not in Employment, Education or Training - is larger than the EET group.
Sithobela MP Hon. Mancoba Sihlongonyane appealed for timely payment of youth employed as data collectors, saying they depend on the income for survival and should not wait years to be paid.
Dladla thanked MPs for their attendance and urged them to endorse Imbeleko and encourage communities to cooperate with data collectors when they visit households, to ensure fairness, transparency and improved quality of life.
