The futures of possibly hundreds of thousands of workers employed by Zanu (PF)-linked characters who grabbed commercial farms from their rightful owners under President Robert Mugabe’s corrupt and violent “land reform” programme are in serious jeopardy after it emerged that the farmers are not remitting workers' contributions to pension authorities.
Most of the chefs were, however, deducting money from their employees and pocketing it.
“NSSA has noted with concern the low compliance rate in the commercial farming sector with many farmers failing to register their enterprises and their workers and not remitting contributions and premiums in terms of the law.
The continued non-compliance now threatens the social security of agricultural workers, who are one of the most vulnerable groups among the working class,” the pension authorities said in a statement.
NSSA said it would set its inspectors to enforce the law on the farms after the month-end deadline expires. However, it was not clear how much success the exercise would have. Many of the new farmers do not keep records, many of the workers are vulnerable people from neighbouring countries while trade union activities which used to expose violators have now been banned.
General Agricultural and Plantation Workers Union (GAPWUZ) leader Gertrude Hambira, who tried to expose abuse of workers by the new occupants and militias, was forced to flee into exile after the CIO hounded her.
Many of the well-connected farmers have also not been paying government taxes or repaying state loans. NSSA threatened defaulters with heavy fines and imprisonment.
Post published in: News