Elderly ex-miners sick, dying but still waiting for pensions
Former mine workers from Mlungisi in Komani are still waiting for their long overdue pensions to be paid, despite being promised that they would receive their money in 2019.
The elderly ex-mine workers, some of whom are ill due to having worked in the mines, are upset that they have been left in the dark.
Sadly, some have died without having received their pensions.
Pemmy Majodina’s decision to send the ex-miners for medical tests in Bhisho in 2019 only added to their anxiety.
Former Carletonville mine worker, Zibangele Ncapayi, 63, said: “Pammy Majodina sent us to Bhisho for medical tests, with the promise that we would only have to wait a week for our payments. However, it has been quiet since then, and we have no idea what is going on.
“We are deeply concerned and frustrated by the lack of communication and progress.”
The ex-miners want Premier Oscar Mabuyane to publicly announce when they will receive their pensions.
“What is most painful is that Majodina told us that an investigation had been conducted into our monies and that we needed to submit our bank account details to receive payment,” Ncapayi said.
“We did so in 2019, but we were then told the payments were delayed due to Covid-19.”
Songeziwe Solani, 89 a former Vaalrivs mine employee said Majodina had indicated that the monies were in the hands of premier Mabuyane.
“This year is coming to an end ... when will we get our money. Our worry is that we are dying ...
“We heard the money was out and that Komani is lagging behind. We are also worried the fifth administration will come to an end and that a new premier will come in,” Solani said.
The elderly men said they were struggling to survive due to the high cost of living. They said an ex-mine worker had died in a shack fire in an informal settlement in Mlungisi, and that if he had received his money this may not have happened.
The Rep reported earlier on Whittlesea ex-miners who recently went to the Office of the Premier to inquire about their pensions owed to them.
Office of the Premier spokesperson Yanga Funani said the office had received a petition from the ex-miners last Friday. He said a follow-up would be done as soon as possible.
“During the first quarter, we visited Whittlesea when they requested the intervention from our office. An explanation from Emalahleni was that their staff were still working in other municipalities such as Dr AB Xuma to process those that were not assisted during the Provincial Outreach programme held in that municipality.”
He said ex-miners from
Emalahleni and Nxuba Yethemba Local Municipalities were receiving assistance. “We expect the next to be assisted will be Enoch Mgijima LM. Our commitment is that we want to see all ex-miners assisted before the end of the sixth administration but it’s a work in progress that could extend to the seventh administration,” Funani said.