Pensioners still waiting for relief

Iwas impressed with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa when he met with the leaders of the Khoi people and listened to their cry for justice.

I also liked the manner in which he spoke at the funeral service of poet and political activist ‘Bra Willie’ Kgositsile.

Perhaps I can publicly ask him to also take up the case of the abused railway pensioners who have been fighting their own fruitless battle for justice.

The Transnet pensioners have been involved in a long, drawn-out legal battle with Transnet to pay them a decent pension since about 2003.

Transnet and their business affiliates have, according to reports, plundered the pension fund and have limited the oldies to an annual increase of only 2% for many years, despite the fact that the pension fund had billions of rands available.

When we started our struggle for better payouts we were 70 000 members strong.

Subsequently 18 000 have passed on, most dying in agony and poverty as they could not afford decent medical coverage and burial services.

The money we are fighting for is not charity, it is funds and interest we saved and invested while we were working for Transnet.

This matter has been discussed at numerous high profile committee meetings, parliament, as well as supreme courts, high courts and even the Constitutional Court.

I have written to the Public Protector and the issue featured prominently in the media. Still, Transnet is dragging its feet, perhaps hoping more old pensioners will die off?

It would be appreciated if Mr Ramaphosa could intervene and bring relief before we all leave this ‘terrestrial ball’.

Even if our pensions are doubled, Transnet will still have billions of our pension money in their coffers.

All the spadework has already been done. We just need somebody in authority and with integrity to do what is right for us workhorses.

We really have been waiting long enough.