Probe into NSSA rot begins

Investigations have been instituted into the operations of the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) after many allegations have been filed with Government of corporate rot and malfeasance and complaints that the pensions offered keep the elderly in abject poverty.

In a statement yesterday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavima, said he had immediately tasked the NSSA board to institute full investigations into the allegations that have been raised against NSSA and ensure appropriate action was taken.

Prof Mavima's concern dovetails with that of President Mnangagwa, who has called for action against NSSA, which he said had become a source of headache to the Government.

Writing in his weekly column in The Sunday Mail yesterday, President Mnangagwa said he continued to receive disturbing reports about NSSA, which he said has failed to rise to Government expectations as it was pushing workers into abject poverty upon retirement.

President Mnangagwa said it was time that decisive action was taken in dealing with those behind the rot at NSSA and "relocate the headache to where it should be suffered".

In his statement yesterday, Prof Mavima said the Government wanted NSSA to get back on track.

"There have been several social media postings and articles with allegations and counter allegations on what is going on at the National Social Security Authority. I wish to assure all our stakeholders and the general public that I and indeed the entire Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, are concerned with these allegations," said Prof Mavima.

"I have immediately tasked the board of NSSA to fully investigate all matters that have been raised and take appropriate and decisive action where wrongdoing is detected. But above all, we want NSSA to get back on track and resume the impressive turn-around trajectory the authority had planned."

He had directed NSSA to focus on matters of social security and prudent investment.

"NSSA has rebranded and I have mandated the authority to focus on matters of social security and prudent investments all in a bid to improve the welfare of pensioners and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic transformation of the entire Zimbabwean nation," he said.

"Meanwhile, I wish to assure all concerned that NSSA remains functional as a key national institution and the outcome of the investigations which are already underway will be made public," he said.

His ministry would continue to uphold principles of good corporate governance and transparency in a bid to achieve the vision of an upper middle income economy by 2030 set by President Mnangagwa.

In his column, President Mnangagwa said on the eve of his departure for Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum (WEF), he got a disheartening report pointing to corporate rot at NSSA.

"This isn't the first time Government had got such a disturbing report; NSSA has been a thorn in our flesh, a pain that will not go away.

"Why such a cash-rich institution with such a wide remit on investment possibilities simply decides to stash millions, and abuse no less, in a country and economy so embattled by both endogenous and exogenous adversities, no sane human being can ever fathom, least of all those of us in Government," he said.

"NSSA's equivalents in various jurisdictions are on the cutting edge of public investments. They determine national course and direction. Not so our NSSA here. All it does is to give us headaches, while pushing workers into abject misery on retirement.

"The time may have now come for us to relocate the headache to where it should be suffered, namely in heads of those begetting corporate malfeasances, all to our collective detriment."

President Mnangagwa also castigated other State entities such as Cottco and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe which needed to pull up their socks.