Unpaid pensioners storm Finance Ministry
MATHATISI SEBUSI
MASERU – Old-age and civil pensioners on Wednesday stormed the finance ministry’s pensions offices demanding reasons for which they are still unpaid – almost a week into a new month.
The pensioners expected their pensions latest by June 3, but it appears the Ministry of Finance made an announcement that they will be paid on June 8 was made.
When Public Eye visited the office today irate old-age pensioner, Motinyane Tsaeng, from Ha Thetsane, aged 77, told this publication that he arrived at his pay point at 0800hrs in the morning to get his allowance, but that hours passed without him and his fellow pensioners getting their money “with no explanation or so ever from anyone.”
He said they were supposed to get paid on Thursday last week but were told that the payment date has been postponed to today. Tsaeng said it is this silence from the ministry that forced them to go directly to the pensions office seeking answers.
“We arrived here at 0800hrs, we borrowed money to come here for our payment but up to now we have not received any money. Some of us are sick and do not even have money to go back to our homes.
It is only now after lunch that we are told that the payments were delayed by the system and some of us will get paid today while others will only get their money next week Monday.
The least they could have done is inform us on time that there will be a delay, not let us wait until this late. A little respect would have been appreciated,” Tsaeng said.
Public Relations Officer in ministry, Keneuoe Mojaki, on Tuesday announced that the delay was unforeseen and Maseru pensioners that were supposed to get paid on Wednesday will get their money on Friday the 10th while Mafeteng pensioners that also were supposed to get paid today will only be paid on Wednesday next week.
