daniel chigunwe
Business Writer
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has been hit by renewed strife amid reports of alleged manoeuvres to rid the authority of suspended general manager (GM) Arthur Manase and others seen as Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima’s allies.
While the compulsory pensions fund’s hierarchy of acting board chair and acting general manager, Marjory Chinyemba and Dr Charles Shava respectively were not immediately available for comment last night, sources say the interim boss “was mandated at Monday’s council meeting to find ways of nailing the ex-Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe senior staffer”.
Dr Shava, according to insiders is also supposed to purge others aligned to Manase as well as those perceived to be closer to Minister Mavima.
“They have hatched a plan to ‘capture NSSA’ by suspending Mr Manase without pay ahead of the imminent release of the forensic audit results and fears are that he might bounce back. Worryingly, though, there are so many procedural flaws and in these unprecedented actions by a group fixated on non-essentials,” said a source.
The source added that it must be remembered that the substantive GM (Manase) had “only taken leave of absence and subsequently cleared by multiple state agencies”.
“Also targeted is Agnes Masiiwa, the contributions and compliance director, who presides over one of the authority’s key functions and set to be made deputy director. Ironically, Dr Shava has rooted for the elevation of the internal audit and information technology heads, but it is not clear if Prof Mavima is even in the know,” they said.
Some observers have been “baffled by the board’s haste” in effecting these changes and disregard of the fact that those mandated to carry out the exercise are conflicted on many fronts. It is not clear whether the machinations are being driven by a desire to pre-empt the AMG Global Accountants forensic audit.
For a team facing allegations that it had un procedurally benefitted from a renewable energy scheme, abuse of holiday allowances and company vehicles, among other governance breaches, it is not surprising that Chinyemba’s crew was acting for self-gain and preservation.
“This board is not only dysfunctional and has failed to give direction, especially when there are more pressing issues at NSSA, but it is worrying that the acting chair has been found wanting in fostering cohesion – even after signing a performance contract – and such that she is allowing these witch-hunts,” revealed a government insider.
“Therefore, it would be odd for the council to suspend Manase on the basis of a report that is not yet out and with no valid legal grounds and it is also perplexing that they have even failed to act on Dr Shava, and corporate affairs director Mr David Makwara’s issues,” they said, adding it could be complicit in defeating the course or ends of justice by allowing the former to continue reporting for work.
According to many, the NSSA board was rendered more dysfunctional following Dr Percy Toriro’s resignation.
Bongani Ndlovu