Appeal for pensions hike

workers earn much more than this figure.
Government removed the ceiling in 2009 but reinstated it the following year.
As a result, workers across the board get a pension of between US$40 and US$45 per month from NSSA.
NSSA general manager Mr James Matiza last week said they had written to the Ministry of Finance requesting for an increase in the insurable earnings ceiling.
“We’ve called on the Government to address the issue as a matter of urgency. Previously, we recommended that the ceiling be removed in 2009, but it was reinstated in May 2010,” he said.
Mr Matiza said those pensioners that retired when the ceiling had been removed were earning pensions of up to US$1 447 per month.
NSSA, he said, had been inundated with complaints from pensioners who felt they were being short-changed.
“Retired workers should understand that there is nothing we can do about increasing pay outs, unless the ceiling is removed. The better the ceiling, the better the pension pay out,” said Mr Matiza.
He, however, admitted that the ceiling         had been important when it came to remunerating low-income pensioners such as farm workers.
“Six percent deducted from farm wages is different from that deducted from high income earners,” he said.
“In this regard, we considered the solidarity aspect whereby contributions by high income earners subsidise low income earners.”
Mr Matiza said that NSSA is currently paying 36 534 pensioners, 63 481 surviving spouses, 5 010 invalidity claims, and 38 792 children beneficiaries from deceased estates.