News / Local
Storm brews over vacant NSSA townhouses
20 Apr 2013 at 05:20hrs | Views
A storm is brewing over the National Social Security Authority (NSSA)'s Bulawayo townhouses that have been vacant for more than a year.
The townhouses are in Woodlands suburb, along Old Esigodini Road.
Residents have attacked NSSA for not renting out the 22 townhouses, arguing that they were assets bought with workers' money and should be used to generate more money for the country's workforce.
NSSA, established under the NSSA Act of 1989, Chapter 17: 04, gets funding through a compulsory three percent levy on salaries of all workers in the country, with a ceiling of $200 every month.
At the moment, the entire townhouse complex is occupied only by a NSSA doctor and a caretaker.
Former residents of the townhouses said they were "unceremoniously" evicted on 23 November 2011.
"We were suddenly given notices on 5 November 2011 and we were told to leave by 23 November as NSSA needed the complex to house its workers. We were paying an average of $150 for rent every month. We are surprised that up to today, there is no one occupying those houses," said a former tenant who declined to be named.
Workers in Bulawayo said they were angered by NSSA's apparent dereliction of duty regarding public funds.
"Those townhouses were bought or built through public funds. As a result, the authority is answerable to all workers.
"They have a duty to safeguard workers' investments and from what we are seeing, they are seriously neglecting that duty," said Mr Malvin York, a Riverside resident.
A number of people said NSSA should be ensuring that the townhouses provide a return because they are an investment, which they said could contribute towards the upgrading of the authority's rehabilitation facilities for injured workers.
"I tried to rent one of the townhouses last year and I was frustrated and gave up. There was no clear answer and no one knew who I was supposed to talk to.
"As we speak, only a NSSA doctor and a caretaker are occupying the complex," said a resident.
A senior civil servant who declined to be named said NSSA was wasting taxpayers' money by maintaining the townhouses.
"Money is being spent to ensure the townhouses are kept clean. A security company has been hired to guard the property. A janitor is being paid every month to maintain facilities that are not being used. NSSA is paying rates to the city council and power bills to Zesa.
"All this is expenditure of workers' hard earned money without any income generated. NSSA should explain what is happening to every worker in the country," said the senior civil servant.
A majority of workers who voiced their concern said NSSA had a duty to be transparent and account for all actions and the use of its funds, to workers.
"NSSA owes the country an explanation. It is easy to believe something sinister is going on, given the refusal by NSSA officials to explain what is going on to scores of residents who have been seeking accommodation at the townhouses over the years. Given the severe housing shortage affecting the country, NSSA should not be holding onto the houses," said a resident.
Contacted for comment, NSSA officials referred questions to MHPR Public Relations Consultants, a company that does public relations work for the authority.
Mr Mike Hamilton, the MHPR director, said the townhouses were being renovated after being vandalised by previous tenants.
"The cost of the damage and of replacement of damaged items was high. As there was no provision for such renovations in NSSA's 2011-2012 budget, the authority had to wait for its 2012-2013 budget to make provision for the Bulawayo Woodlands townhouses' refurbishment.
"The budget was approved this month (April 2013). The refurbishment of the townhouses is therefore work in progress.
"However, it might take longer to complete than NSSA would wish, due to the tender process that has to be gone through," said Mr Hamilton.
He said finalisation of the issue had also taken long due to a four-year court battle that was instituted in 2008 to recover rent arrears from tenants.
The townhouses are in Woodlands suburb, along Old Esigodini Road.
Residents have attacked NSSA for not renting out the 22 townhouses, arguing that they were assets bought with workers' money and should be used to generate more money for the country's workforce.
NSSA, established under the NSSA Act of 1989, Chapter 17: 04, gets funding through a compulsory three percent levy on salaries of all workers in the country, with a ceiling of $200 every month.
At the moment, the entire townhouse complex is occupied only by a NSSA doctor and a caretaker.
Former residents of the townhouses said they were "unceremoniously" evicted on 23 November 2011.
"We were suddenly given notices on 5 November 2011 and we were told to leave by 23 November as NSSA needed the complex to house its workers. We were paying an average of $150 for rent every month. We are surprised that up to today, there is no one occupying those houses," said a former tenant who declined to be named.
Workers in Bulawayo said they were angered by NSSA's apparent dereliction of duty regarding public funds.
"Those townhouses were bought or built through public funds. As a result, the authority is answerable to all workers.
"They have a duty to safeguard workers' investments and from what we are seeing, they are seriously neglecting that duty," said Mr Malvin York, a Riverside resident.
A number of people said NSSA should be ensuring that the townhouses provide a return because they are an investment, which they said could contribute towards the upgrading of the authority's rehabilitation facilities for injured workers.
"I tried to rent one of the townhouses last year and I was frustrated and gave up. There was no clear answer and no one knew who I was supposed to talk to.
A senior civil servant who declined to be named said NSSA was wasting taxpayers' money by maintaining the townhouses.
"Money is being spent to ensure the townhouses are kept clean. A security company has been hired to guard the property. A janitor is being paid every month to maintain facilities that are not being used. NSSA is paying rates to the city council and power bills to Zesa.
"All this is expenditure of workers' hard earned money without any income generated. NSSA should explain what is happening to every worker in the country," said the senior civil servant.
A majority of workers who voiced their concern said NSSA had a duty to be transparent and account for all actions and the use of its funds, to workers.
"NSSA owes the country an explanation. It is easy to believe something sinister is going on, given the refusal by NSSA officials to explain what is going on to scores of residents who have been seeking accommodation at the townhouses over the years. Given the severe housing shortage affecting the country, NSSA should not be holding onto the houses," said a resident.
Contacted for comment, NSSA officials referred questions to MHPR Public Relations Consultants, a company that does public relations work for the authority.
Mr Mike Hamilton, the MHPR director, said the townhouses were being renovated after being vandalised by previous tenants.
"The cost of the damage and of replacement of damaged items was high. As there was no provision for such renovations in NSSA's 2011-2012 budget, the authority had to wait for its 2012-2013 budget to make provision for the Bulawayo Woodlands townhouses' refurbishment.
"The budget was approved this month (April 2013). The refurbishment of the townhouses is therefore work in progress.
"However, it might take longer to complete than NSSA would wish, due to the tender process that has to be gone through," said Mr Hamilton.
He said finalisation of the issue had also taken long due to a four-year court battle that was instituted in 2008 to recover rent arrears from tenants.
Source - TC
