News / National
Zimbabwean pensioners in abject poverty
18 Oct 2015 at 06:17hrs | Views
Being a Pensioner in Zimbabwe has now become a curse, as many Zimbabwean pensioners are struggling to put food on their tables on a daily basis owing to their monthly payouts, which are practically unsustainable.Their situation worsens each day as some travel more than 300 km in search of their hard worked and contributed money.
Some end up doing menial jobs to survive while others who are too old to find work to supplement their meager pensions end up dying paupers and living in squalid conditions. Pensioners Union Trust of Zimbabwe (PUTZ) secretary general Bornwell Madembo lamented about the meager money that pensioners are receiving from the National Social Security Authority.
According to national statics, there are more than 6000 old aged pensioners in Zimbabwe, with many of them failing to acquire their pensions during their lifetime. Some pensioners are receiving as little as $40 a month from the Government which is not enough to sustain them. The country's poverty datum line currently stands at US$500.
Mrs. Gertrude Zunde and Mrs. Pamidzai Muzarakuza who are Pensioners are among the sufferers who told WeZimbabwe that they will have to give up if they are not going to have increments this year. Most pensioners in nursing homes for the elderly are also facing critical financial shortages and are unable to meet the needs of the elderly with some ending up in the streets begging
Wisdom Zhanje PUTZ President told WeZimbabwe that NSSA were recently quoted in the press saying the $60 minimum retirement pension represents a 50% increase from the current minimum pension of $40. The minimum survivor's pension was up from $20 to $30, as does the minimum invalidity pension.
A number of Zimbabwean pensioners have now resorted to operating backyard businesses like tuck shops, barbershops and repairs for survival. The formation of PUTZ has brought hope to the pensioners who are now negotiating with other well-wishers via the trust.
Pensioners also accused NSSA management of driving top of the range vehicles while pensioners are wallowing in abject poverty. Efforts to get comment from National social security Authority NSSA hit a brick wall as they kept referring this Journalist from one office to another for comment.
However, many pensioners who spoke to WeZimbabwe have threatened to take their grievances to the president and Zimbabwean's head of state Robert Mugabe. WeZimbabwe captured some of the pensioners busy in the streets, as they have been reduced to vendors and beggars by the government they worked for.
Some end up doing menial jobs to survive while others who are too old to find work to supplement their meager pensions end up dying paupers and living in squalid conditions. Pensioners Union Trust of Zimbabwe (PUTZ) secretary general Bornwell Madembo lamented about the meager money that pensioners are receiving from the National Social Security Authority.
According to national statics, there are more than 6000 old aged pensioners in Zimbabwe, with many of them failing to acquire their pensions during their lifetime. Some pensioners are receiving as little as $40 a month from the Government which is not enough to sustain them. The country's poverty datum line currently stands at US$500.
Mrs. Gertrude Zunde and Mrs. Pamidzai Muzarakuza who are Pensioners are among the sufferers who told WeZimbabwe that they will have to give up if they are not going to have increments this year. Most pensioners in nursing homes for the elderly are also facing critical financial shortages and are unable to meet the needs of the elderly with some ending up in the streets begging
A number of Zimbabwean pensioners have now resorted to operating backyard businesses like tuck shops, barbershops and repairs for survival. The formation of PUTZ has brought hope to the pensioners who are now negotiating with other well-wishers via the trust.
Pensioners also accused NSSA management of driving top of the range vehicles while pensioners are wallowing in abject poverty. Efforts to get comment from National social security Authority NSSA hit a brick wall as they kept referring this Journalist from one office to another for comment.
However, many pensioners who spoke to WeZimbabwe have threatened to take their grievances to the president and Zimbabwean's head of state Robert Mugabe. WeZimbabwe captured some of the pensioners busy in the streets, as they have been reduced to vendors and beggars by the government they worked for.
Source - WeZimbabwe
