PUTZ has a 5,000 membership, and 1,000 members have already shown interest in the project. The smallest stand measuring 300 square metres is selling at $6,500 with a minimum cash deposit of $1,500.
“We successfully negotiated for pensioners to pay the deposit in affordable instalments while the stands are reserved for them,” said Innocent Zhanje, PUTZ social security officer. He said a large number of pensioners reached retirement age without shelter due to the harsh economic environment.
Norman Khumalo, a retired soldier and PUTZ member said: “I am excited with the housing facility as it would be my only hope of ever having a house to my name.”
Besides the housing scheme, Zhanje indicated, the pensioners enjoy benefits in several other areas of economic activity such as agriculture, micro-finance, poultry and the upcoming funeral cover. A local bank avails short term loans, payable on terms favourable for the former workers. Another credit facility is running for pensioners in the poultry industry. “A poultry feeds producing company extended its credit facility to pensioners. Chicken feed would be availed and beneficiaries would meet the costs after disposing of the birds.”
To lessen the funeral burden on pensioners’ families, PUTZ is working on modalities which would lead to 50 cents of the membership’s monthly $2 subscription being channelled towards a funeral policy.
Steven Muza, 72, a former government teacher said: “I am living in poverty as my monthly $240 pension cannot meet accommodation, school fees for grandchildren whose parents died from HIV/AIDS, medical bills and food.” Muza is a tenant in Chitungwiza as his savings meant to purchase a house was frozen in the Bank when the economy shifted to the multi-currency regime.
Getrude Zunde, one of the founding members of the Zimbabwe Progressive Pensioners Trust, described pensioners as one of the worst off of the marginalised groups.
“To at least cushion the poor pensioners from the harsh economic conditions we train them in income generating projects such as drink juice production, soap making, poultry, bee-keeping and mushroom farming,” she said.
Post published in: Lifestyle