Probing millions for pensioners
This, according to Buzwa, was months before several towns in the old East Rand were amalgamated under a single municipality of the new City of Ekurhuleni following the country’s historic first democratic elections of April 27, 1994.
A Katlehong private investigation firm Buzwa Consultants and Private Investigators (BC&PI) has approached the Zondo Commission of Inquiry to probe the missing R46-million belonging to municipal workers who were retrenched by the Boksburg and Germiston city councils in 1993.
According to the firm’s head private investigator, Thabo Buzwa, the money was part of a lump sum set aside by the apartheid city councils of Boksburg and Germiston to be paid to the municipal council employees’ provident fund pension payout after they were retrenched in 1993.
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Most of the retired former municipal employees are in their advanced age, and some are now dead. One of them, Louis Malaza, was an internal auditor at the old Katlehong municipality offices which fell under the Germiston City Council at the time.
Malaza told Kathorus MAIL he he was among the 366 municipal employees in Katlehong who were paid only a portion of their contributions from the old Germiston municipality’s provident fund.
He said an estimated outstanding R46-million portion of the municipality’s contribution to the employees’ provident fund was never paid out to the employees after they were dismissed.
“There were over a 1 000 black and white municipal employees who were retrenched from their various posts in the old municipality. Some opted for voluntary retrenchments and were paid in full and left soon thereafter.”
Malaza claimed that those who were on the retrenchment list, and had also contributed to the municipality’s provident fund, were only paid a portion of their contribution from the old city council’s provident fund.
“The municipality’s contribution, as an employer, was never paid out to the retrenched workers,” said Malaza.
Buzwa, who has been probing the claim since 2010, said the case has dragged on for far too long. He said he finds it unacceptable that the matter has taken well over two decades to solve.
“I think those involved in this sad saga can now realise just how much pain and trauma they’ve caused these elderly pensioners, most of whom have been left destitute,” lamented Buzwa.
Buzwa explained that in the past nine years since he has been involved in the case, a number of the elderly claimants have died and it is now their children and grandchildren who have joined the fight to recover what rightfully belongs to their deceased family members. He said he has decided to escalate the matter to higher structures of the ANC to attract the attention of senior decision-makers in the organisation.
On Workers Day on May 1, during an ANC pre-election rally at the Katlehong Stadium, Buzwa, managed to find his way to where ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and Minister Jeff Radebe were seated. He said he drew Magashule’s attention to the case.
“I was very impressed with the urgency with which both of them responded to the matter,” said Buzwa, who said he has since been assured by Magashule that the matter was being given high priority.
Buzwa said he has filed a plea with the Zondo Commission to probe the missing workers’ millions.
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“I have complete trust and confidence in the secretary-general of the ANC, but I believe those responsible for the delay in paying out the funds need to explain themselves in an open platform such as the Zondo Commission.”
Buzwa argued that since 1993, this matter has been handled and heard by among others, former president Thabo Mbeki, former labour minister Membathisi Mdladlane, former public protector Thuli Mdonsela, the petition committee, former Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele and more recently, the current mayor, Clr Mzwandile Masina.
“The workers have not been able to find a solution to their problem. That is why the Zondo Commission may help to bring another angle to solving the mystery,” Buzwa said.
The offices of the commission confirmed the reference number quoted by Buzwa and linked it to the private investigator’s claim.
“I can confirm that a claim linked to the quoted reference number has been lodged by Buzwa Consultants and Private Investigators. I am, however, unable to give you the exact date the investigation will begin,” said the a records clerk who only gave her name as Nhlanhla.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Ekurhuleni Municipality at the time of publication were unsuccessful.
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