‘We Go Home Empty-Handed’, Pensioners Slam Meagre NSSA Payouts

By Evans Jona

Every month, a 74-year-old pensioner from Nyatate in Nyanga borrows money for transport to travel into town to collect his National Social Security Authority (NSSA) pension. But when he returns home, little or nothing remains.

“I pay back the transport debt, buy a few groceries — maybe mealie-meal, rice and cooking oil — and that is it. The pension is too little; it does not last even two weeks. We go home empty-handed,” he told Post On Sunday.

His story echoes the experiences of thousands of elderly Zimbabweans. According to NSSA’s 2023 annual report, the authority has about 1.3 million registered contributors, with roughly 220,000 beneficiaries currently receiving pensions and other social security payouts. Yet monthly benefits remain paltry, ranging between US$10 and US$100, amounts many pensioners say leave them destitute.

The Zimbabwe Senior Citizens Association (ZSCA) says the payouts are eroding the dignity and quality of life of older persons. “These amounts are simply not enough to cover food, healthcare or transport. We have urged NSSA to increase payouts to at least ZIG 1,000 per month alongside the US dollar component,” said ZSCA national chairman Patrick Ndlovu.

Another pensioner, a 68-year-old widow, described the process as humiliating. “Sometimes we sleep at bus ranks to catch transport to town. After standing in queues all day, what we receive cannot even pay for medication,” she said.

Beyond low payouts, ZSCA pointed to inefficiency and weak engagement. Pensioners face bureaucratic hurdles and long distances to access their benefits, particularly in rural areas where NSSA service points remain limited.

Concerns over NSSA’s management have also been raised by state watchdogs. In her 2022 and 2023 reports to Parliament, Auditor-General Mildred Chiri flagged irregular investments, delays in pension reviews, and weaknesses in corporate governance. The reports warned that mismanagement of funds risked further undermining the authority’s capacity to safeguard pensioners’ welfare.

Although NSSA has previously announced plans to digitalise payments, diversify investments and review benefits in line with inflation, ZSCA argues that such promises have not yet translated into meaningful relief.

“Future plans mean nothing if pensioners are dying of hunger today. We want immediate reforms, not promises. Pensioners cannot continue to subsidise the system with their suffering,” Ndlovu said.

ZSCA has recommended reforms that include expanding coverage to informal sector and domestic workers, streamlining accessibility, and introducing welfare initiatives beyond pensions, such as healthcare support and transport subsidies.

“As ZSCA, we are ready to work with NSSA to strengthen social security, but unless there is meaningful engagement and urgent action, senior citizens will remain trapped in poverty,” Ndlovu warned.