Harry Masindi of the Make It Happen Foundation says they have been struggling to secure a meeting with Limpopo government officials to settle the Great North Transport pension payout impasse. (Photo: Moyahabo Mabeba)
By: Moyahabo Mabeba
It has been 20 years now since former employees of government-owned Great North Transport (GNT) being unable to get their pension payouts.
The former workers have been swindled out of over R300 millions of their retirement funds by the bus company operating under the auspices of Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism.
The disgruntled current and former employees of this bus company have been picketed outside the Mowana Building, the Office of the Premier in Polokwane, Limpopo, where they staged night vigils.
Their cries have been falling on deaf ears as former premier, Stan Mathabatha and then MEC for Ledet, Roggers Monama could not resolve the impasse between GNT and its former workers.
They have been sent from pillar to post for many fighting for what is owed to them.
This comes after money meant for their pension payouts vanished into thin air, leaving them to count their losses.
Mopani Times understands that the utility bus company that was previously known as Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) was deducting money from its staff but did not send the funds to the pension administrator.
This contravention of the Pension Fund Act has resulted in some of the former employees dying without getting a single cent from GNT.
Tryphosa Manyathela, whose husband, Herrick worked for GNT from 1969 to 1979 said her spouse died fighting for his pension payout but lost the fight because of the unfair labour practices of the then management.
She said “My husband was working as a clerk at the time when he was dismissed for asking for salary increment. He was always complaining about the harsh conditions he worked under. After they fired him, they never paid him his pension money. He died in 2020 still fighting for his pension. I am here as his widow to fight for what is due to him.”
William Makola, a former bus driver whose longevity spanned 40 years with GNT, said the only thing to show for is the certificate of service.
He said “It pains me to see my peers enjoying their pension payouts while I’m struggling to make ends meet. We have been fighting for our monies for many years but no one is prepared to listen to us. This is dragging for far too long and many have died without getting what is owed to them. Premiers and MECs came and left with empty promises to resolve the matter but knowing the kind of liars these politicians are, this case has deadlocked.”
The Make It Happen Foundation, a non-profit organisation representing the former employees, raised concerns that GNT former and present staff members have been negatively affected due to the mishandling of their pension funds by the bus company.
The foundation’s organiser, Harry Masindi, who has been vocal on the matter since it first came to light, complained that Treasury did not want to make a forensic report available for public consumption but now that the report has been released, they want the findings of the report to be implemented.
“We have been requesting for a meeting with the provincial government to discuss this matter but it’s not happening. For several months, we have been requesting for the release of the forensic report, but there have been delaying tactics” Masindi said.
GNT spokesperson, Leo Gama, said the bus company is committed to seeing this process being concluded.
Gama said “So far, we have been able to process several claims from the time the pension fund payout.”
Tryphosa Manyathela says her husband Herrick died while struggling to get his pension payout from GNT. (Photo: Moyahabo Mabeba)