Govt under fire over meagre pension pay-outs

GOVERNMENT has come under fire from legislators over the meagre pension pay-outs to retirees at a time when the cost of living has been rising.

The legislators demanded to know the government’s policy with regards to the welfare of pensioners, taking into consideration that many of them are taking home very little, and they are living below the poverty datum line.

Justice minister and leader of government business in Parliament Ziyambi Ziyambi acknowledged the on-going salary and pension reviews, but offered no timeline for their conclusion.

“The review of salaries and what pensioners are given is ongoing. It is a process that is being undertaken right now and I cannot give a definitive answer because that is the process that is underway to ensure that the salaries and pensions are reviewed,” Ziyambi said.

“When negotiations are taking place and you are asked to fix a date, it is something that is very difficult to do. What I can say is, once the negotiations for the salaries are concluded, it is a process that is tied to the review of the pensioners’ pay-outs, then an announcement will be made accordingly.”

Former Public Service minister Paul Mavima said the government would review pension payouts in line with movements in the exchange rate.

The minimum monthly pension payout for a National Social Security Authority pensioner currently stands at ZWL$230 000, which is around US$12 on the black market.

The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe recently said the cost of living had doubled to ZWL$6,2 million from ZWL$3,6 million in December due to a sharp depreciation of the local currency.