HARARE – A group of pensioners have petitioned parliament seeking legislators’ support in their push for the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to review upwards their monthly pay-out which they say is inadequate.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Monday, the pensioners under the banner, Pensioners Advocacy Zimbabwe, said the current monthly pay-outs have impoverished them.

“The challenges that we face are insurmountable. We are old, we are frail, no money to go to hospital, no money to buy food, no money even to get transport to the bank to get the little that is available at the end of the month or at the beginning of the month, depending on what the payday is.

“What we are faced with is in a sense a national disaster, because at the end of the day, while we are suffering like this, we have the youth, we have people that are working, that will face the same problem when they go on pension, unless if something changes.

“We have no capacity to take care of our personal lives, let alone dependents, because of the low pension payouts that we are getting from NSSA.

“The meagre pension payouts have created pronounced suffering to pensioners and have denied pensioners right to life,” said Tawanda Shumba who spoke on behalf of the group.

Shumba recommended that NSSA pays pensioners a monthly pension that relates to the cost of living in Zimbabwe.

“So it is the pensioner’s plea with parliament to investigate, recommend and rectify the unpleasant situation being faced by pensioners and make sure that all pensioners earn a pension above the poverty datum line or the family bread basket.

“Being on pension should not continue being a death sentence to former workers who made huge contributions to the growth of the nation during their working years,” said Shumba.

Speaking before the same committee, Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare permanent secretary Simon Masanga said NSSA cannot afford to pay more than what it is already paying.

“At one time, NSSA was paying a minimum pension equivalent to  US$100, but due to changes in the environment, we saw that figure falling to around  US$30 to $40 a month to the current figure for the equivalent of slightly above maybe $50 USD a month, and our wish is to continue improving on the pension payout as both our economic environment and the money that we collect from those that are contributing continue to improve,” he said.

He stunned the committee saying NSSA was paying above the other competitors are giving their pensioners.

“NSSA is the highest paid. Yes, I agree, the amounts that have been paid may not be adequate, but we are doing all that we can as NSSA to make sure these pensions continue to improve.

“We have many occupational pension funds. Some have folded. I used to be a board member of a certain government entity, and the pension fund is now nowhere to be seen. We are happy to say that NSSA is still swimming, and the situation continues to improve.

Acting general manager Charles Shava said at the moment, NSSA cannot afford an upward review of pensions.

“We do not want to just pay $100 to pensioners this month, and then next month the scheme will collapse. So we ensure that whatever we pay to our pensioners is something that is sustainable and is going to see the scheme into eternity.