Several efforts to get updates on the proposed pay-outs to beneficiaries of the former Venda Pension Fund have been unsuccessful. Even an appeal to readers to find out if they have any news has generated no results. It seems everyone is in the dark and those who know, do not care to talk about the matter.
In August last year, the then Finance Minister, Malusi Gigaba, promised that the Venda Pension Fund issue would be resolved by the end of November 2017. His promises followed a report by the former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, recommending that the issue be revisited.
"The Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) is collating and reconstructing individual files and records of beneficiaries. This will ensure that qualifying pensioners receive the monies due to them," the Ministry of Finance then stated in a press release.
In December, an article appeared in the New Age newspaper in which it was stated that National Treasury had asked for more time to conclude the investigations and make a recommendation or take a decision. It was stated that treasury "were working together with the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) to address the remedial action contained in the report of the public protector regarding the matter."
For the past two months the Limpopo Mirror has been enquiring from the GPAA as to what the progress is on the pension pay-outs. On April 18 questions were sent to the agency, only to be met with an auto-generated reply stating that a response would be sent within 14 days. After two weeks, another automated reply followed, stating that the query had been referred to the relevant department.
Nothing happened after this and yet another email was sent, which only caused the process to start afresh. This process seemingly continues indefinitely. Requests to be put in contact with a media spokesperson are also only met with an auto-generated response.
We were hoping to carry an article on the issue in this week's Limpopo Mirror, but apart from what had happened, we have very little else to go on. If any reader can provide us with some more detail, this will be appreciated.