Online Reporter
Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
CIVIL Pensioners yesterday expressed their frustrations over meagre payouts, urging the Government to strengthen the pension system to improve their welfare.
Speaking during a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare’s public hearing on the proposed State Service Pension Fund, the pensioners shared heart-wrenching accounts of economic hardships caused by inadequate pensions.
The Government is working on a new pension fund aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the existing civil service pension scheme.
For many pensioners, the platform provided an opportunity to voice their struggles and highlight gaps in the prevailing system.
Mr Webster Sibanda, a retired teacher, lamented the decline in pension benefits.
“I was in the education sector for 45 years, and back then, pensions were well-structured and governed by clear laws. Now, we are just lumped together without a clear calculation method,” he said.
He further expressed concern that many pensioners do not live for more than 10 years after retirement due to poor living conditions.
Another pensioner, Mr Gift Sibanda, raised concerns over disparities in pension payments.
“Someone who retired 10 years ago and another who retires today, despite having held the same position, do not receive the same pension. The one retiring today gets a better pension because of salary adjustments over time, which is unfair,” he said.
Mr Sibanda supported the proposed bill, saying it would create a board to standardise pension allocations.
A pensioner who preferred anonymity said the Government should learn from neighbouring countries where senior citizens aged 65 and above receive social grants.
“We need pensioners to be treated for free at Government hospitals because medical institutions still demand payments despite the law stating certain age groups should be treated for free,” he said.
Another retired teacher, Mrs Priscilla Malaba, stressed the need to protect pensioners’ contributions.
“I support the new bill, provided it safeguards our funds instead of diverting them to other projects. Right now, pensioners cannot afford medical aid or funeral policies, forcing us to live and die as paupers,” she said.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Parliamentary Portfolio Committee team leader, said the purpose of the bill is to restructure the Government’s pension scheme.
“As legislators, we are not there to debate, but gather the public views in line with constitutional requirements before a new law is established,” he said.
Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, speaking before the deployment of the committee, acknowledged the need to reform Zimbabwe’s pension system.
“I am convinced that this Government pension scheme has served its purpose over the years, but the evolving socio-economic landscape demands its continuous refinement. Indeed, as our population grows, as economic dynamics shift, and as the expectations of the public service evolve, so too must our pension systems,” said Adv Mudenda.
He said the establishment of the State Service Pension Fund is a crucial step in ensuring the financial security of civil servants and the sustainability of pension benefits.
“A well-structured pension framework is a fundamental pillar of this vision and will ensure that no one and no place is left behind. Pensioners are a crucial segment of our society, and we must ensure that they are not left behind as we work towards economic transformation,” said Adv Mudenda.
He said the bill aligns seamlessly with the country’s economic trajectory.–@nqotshili
