via Thousands suffer as govt fails to pay pensions | The Zimbabwean 19.03.14 by Nelson Sibanda
Sources at the Mukwati Government Pensions Office in Harare said prospects of the affected former government workers getting their dues soon were dwindling with each day. “The pensions would only be paid out when treasury has disbursed funds to the pensions office,” said a highly placed source on condition of anonymity.
Under normal circumstances, retired government workers would get terminal benefits on the last pay date of service, and the lump sum three months later followed by monthly life payments.
The lowest ranking member of the Defence Forces would receive an average $16,000 lump sum, depending on period of service while those in other government ministries should pocket a minimum $6,000.
“The problem now is that the terminally ill and those due for retirement are hesitant to submit applications to quit employment due to non-availability of pension funds,” said a terminally ill teacher.
A retired soldier, identified as Never Chako, said he was yet to benefit from the lump sum pension eight months after retiring on medical grounds. “The situation is so desperate that the pensioners are living like paupers with no idea of when government will pay the lump sum,” he said.
The cash-strapped government has also failed to honour its promises to increase civil servants’ salaries in January 2014. The lowest paid worker was expected to get $505 per month up from $300.
COMMENTS
They were busy paying these high salaries to crooks now they cannot pay pensions. This goes to show that this Government is out of touch with the needs of the people. If people payed in monies to their pensions where did the money go to. These kind of situations will be the down fall of Zanu pf. It just needs a few disgruntled soldiers to fire a few shots and all hell will break loose. Zimbabwe is sitting on a time bomb and as soon as these Politicians realize the better for them.
We’re these people not paid their salaries? Why lump sums? What about the poor tax payers? They are people too.
The cake is getting smaller and smaller.kuhvara maburi nezvigunwe,and the holes are popping up everywhere.
Oh my goodness. The pot lids are all coming off the boiling pots! Everywhere you look the wheels are falling off. I predict major riots in the near future.
Where are you “Apo” any comment you african intelectual you.Please explain.
They cannot be serious with all those vehicles they are bribing each other with.
Sounds like 2008
A huge deficit is in the making…things will only get worse in the months to come.
Very sorry that they are not recieving their pensions, especially as they are the ones that put the trash into power and kept them there all these years. The army and other branches of the SF arrested and tortured/murdered their own kith a kin. I hope they starve to death slowly.
Mdc must play politics here they must be clear what they going to do with paying retired civil servants because i guess they being told its only a delay they will be paid and hence they play part to ma sure zanu remains in power .
I believe the opposition and the civic society and the people of Zimbabwe need to call on this current government to stand down. It would be the most decent think ZPF could do and it would redeem them from quite a bit if they had the courage, integrity, decency and enough care for the people to do that…..
I am wondering where this beautiful nation of our is heading! We have more than twelve million pple here in Zimbabwe so CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME!!!
I know of someone’s parent whose pension is $32. It costs nearly $24 in transport for them to collect it. Happy retirement days await people.
Ini ndakanzi tiku procesere yako faster tinodya tese huya wakabata $250 ,apa mari yacho handina.since 2o12 ma 1
John Thomas should note that 12.5% of a Civil Servant’s Salary is collected into a pension fund. The pension fund and NOT the poor taxpayer should be paying the pensions. Civil Servant’s pensions are delayed pay not an unearned benefit. How many times have Civil Servants been denied pay rises because of the generous pensions awaiting their retirement?
I need help in getting my late mothers pay out, she passed on in 2012,in July and she had worked for over 30years as a nurse for the government, and yet we still have not received any payout form the government as well as the hospital she worked in ,Mpilo central hospital. Is there some one who can advice me on how we can be able to get help in that matter, as this has been an on going battle for years on end,I have even lost hope of ever getting our mothers pay-out..
I’m so divested…I need help