Online Reporter
Chief Court Reporter
More than 100 pensioners have filed a High Court lawsuit against the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) over monthly payouts they describe as “grossly inadequate” to meet the rising cost of living.
The centre of the dispute is a contentious monthly payout structure where pensioners reportedly receive an average of US$55 and ZWL 308, while widows and widowers subsist on a paltry US$20 per month.
The claimants, led by Mr Gideon Shoko, argue that these payments condemn the former workforce to “abject poverty” rather than the dignified retirement they had envisioned.
In his affidavit submitted to the court, Mr Shoko decried NSSA’s failure to adjust payouts in line with inflation and currency fluctuations, saying, “Even though we diligently contributed to NSSA’s Pension and Other Benefits Scheme throughout our working lives, what we now receive is completely out of sync with the cost of basic survival in Zimbabwe. We cannot afford food, shelter, clothing, medication, or transportation.”
Mr Shoko further described the situation as a betrayal of pensioners’ constitutional rights, particularly their right to property and social security.
Quoting Section 71(1) of the Constitution, the affidavit emphasises that contributions deducted over decades are a form of “vested property,” requiring just compensation or equitable returns.
“NSSA’s payments do not reflect the value of what pensioners contributed during their working years. Forcing people into poverty after a lifetime of work goes against both constitutional protections and basic human decency,” Mr Shoko stated.
The pensioners’ legal case hinges on both constitutional and statutory arguments. Their legal team, led by Caleb Mucheche and Partners Law Chambers, submitted that the current payouts amount to an unjustified deprivation of property under Section 71(3) of the Constitution, which protects citizens from being stripped of property without fair compensation.
Furthermore, the pensioners invoked Section 82, arguing that Zimbabwe’s senior citizens are entitled to adequate social security and welfare.
The application posits NSSA, as a statutory body, has failed in its constitutional and public obligations by not ensuring payouts commensurate with claimants’ contributions and current economic realities.
“The Constitution binds NSSA to protect pensioners’ rights, but instead, retirees are suffering. Monthly payouts must bear a rational relationship to both their contributions and the cost of living,” Mr Shoko stated.
This legal bid seeks a declaratory order compelling NSSA to review its payout system. The pensioners argue this review is long overdue, especially “amidst Zimbabwe’s pervasive economic instability.”
If successful, this lawsuit could set a precedent and force a re-evaluation of the role and responsibilities of NSSA in safeguarding the financial security of the country’s retirees.
NSSA is yet to respond to the court challenge. The case is before the High Court in Harare, with pensioners rallying for what many see as their last hope for dignity and welfare in retirement.
