MEMBERS of the former Venda Employee Pension Fund on Monday left for the Gambian capital of Banjul to advocate for the release of their surplus pension fund.
They will attend an African Union Commission on People's Rights meeting.
Members of the fund claim that millions of rands were taken over by the Public Service and Administration department during the integration of homelands into South Africa in 1993.
The beneficiaries reported their plight to the commission in 2007 after South African courts dismissed their application to have the funds paid out.
Ahead of the integration, about 23000 workers were forced to resign and take their pensions.
The beneficiaries claim that a part of the pension fund was paid out while another portion was withheld.
The beneficiaries wish to have their pension money distributed among members or their children.
Group leader Tshifhiwa Makhale said they had reported the matter to the African Union after local courts ruled against them.
"The talks are important to us because the commission has accepted that we do have a strong case," he said.
The privatisation of the pension scheme has allegedly left most of the beneficiaries facing economic hardships.
The meeting in Gambia aims to bring all parties concerned to the table for the first time after previous talks collapsed without a satisfactory agreement.
"We believe that local courts dismissed our case without paying proper attention. Also, the government does not have the names of all the beneficiaries and our application was submitted late," Makhale said.
Another group, led by Tshimangadzo Tshiololi, had the Public Protector rule in their favour and demanded that government apologise for the impact caused by the privatisation of the scheme.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela discovered that members of the pension scheme were treated unfairly and that the government had failed to protect their interests.
Madonsela also said at the time of the application that the government's move to privatise the pension fund amounted to maladministration.
She also indicated that National Treasury and the Public Service Commission were unfair towards workers when they were forced to retire without being paid out their pensions.
Department of Public Service and Administration's Dumisani Nkwamba said he was not aware of the talks.
He referred Sowetan to the pension fund unit who at the time of going to print had not responded to our query.
The meeting is expected to last for four days.
Venda pension woes
MEMBERS of the former Venda Employee Pension Fund on Monday left for the Gambian capital of Banjul to advocate for the release of their surplus pension fund.
They will attend an African Union Commission on People's Rights meeting.
Members of the fund claim that millions of rands were taken over by the Public Service and Administration department during the integration of homelands into South Africa in 1993.
The beneficiaries reported their plight to the commission in 2007 after South African courts dismissed their application to have the funds paid out.
Ahead of the integration, about 23000 workers were forced to resign and take their pensions.
The beneficiaries claim that a part of the pension fund was paid out while another portion was withheld.
The beneficiaries wish to have their pension money distributed among members or their children.
Group leader Tshifhiwa Makhale said they had reported the matter to the African Union after local courts ruled against them.
"The talks are important to us because the commission has accepted that we do have a strong case," he said.
The privatisation of the pension scheme has allegedly left most of the beneficiaries facing economic hardships.
The meeting in Gambia aims to bring all parties concerned to the table for the first time after previous talks collapsed without a satisfactory agreement.
"We believe that local courts dismissed our case without paying proper attention. Also, the government does not have the names of all the beneficiaries and our application was submitted late," Makhale said.
Another group, led by Tshimangadzo Tshiololi, had the Public Protector rule in their favour and demanded that government apologise for the impact caused by the privatisation of the scheme.
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela discovered that members of the pension scheme were treated unfairly and that the government had failed to protect their interests.
Madonsela also said at the time of the application that the government's move to privatise the pension fund amounted to maladministration.
She also indicated that National Treasury and the Public Service Commission were unfair towards workers when they were forced to retire without being paid out their pensions.
Department of Public Service and Administration's Dumisani Nkwamba said he was not aware of the talks.
He referred Sowetan to the pension fund unit who at the time of going to print had not responded to our query.
The meeting is expected to last for four days.
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