New municipal workers’ pension bills passed
COGTA MEC Dube-Ncube said the legislative process behind the new Bills was done democratically and constitutionally
THE Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) says it is pleased with the passing of three new pension bills for municipal workers, as these ‘remove all obsolete elements of racial discrimination in the treatment of municipal employees’.
Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said Tuesday’s passing by the Provincial Legislature of the KZN Joint Municipal Pension Fund (Retirement) Bill, the KZN Joint Municipal Pension Fund (Superannuation) Bill and the KZN Joint Municipal Provident Fund Bill was an important step in securing dignified retirement for the province’s municipal employees.
‘Some of the discriminatory elements repealed from the bills included components that prevented beneficiaries from receiving benefits when the main members passed away.
‘The new laws are based on the principles of fairness and equality that underpin our democratic dispensation.’
In the new bills, all former race-based references have been removed, as has the previous differentiation regarding the categories of beneficiaries and their dependants, with the only difference being the contribution rate, which will be the employee’s choice.
Dube-Ncube said the old apartheid-era pension laws had treated KZN municipal employees based on race, rather than on their contribution to the work of municipalities.
‘The democratic character of the legislative process behind the new laws is also evident from the fact that every single member of these funds was consulted, whether he or she was a retired member, a beneficiary or a current employee.
‘In addition to this, every associated municipality and SALGA were also consulted in compliance with the country’s constitution.’
She said as far as the new laws are concerned, there are no additional financial implications to members, nor are there any for the KZN provincial government.
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