An audit report exposing deep-rooted corruption at the
National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has angered many Zimbabweans, who are
demanding action against those implicated.
Former Tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira, who is in remand
prison over allegations that she misappropriated $95 million belonging to NSSA,
features prominently in the report compiled by BDO Zimbabwe Chartered
Accountants on behalf of the auditor general.
The report revealed how millions of dollars were abused by
politicians and the pension fund’s senior employees.
Labour and Social Welfare minister Sekai Nzenza (SN) told Standard reporter Jairos Saunyama (JS) she was already taking measures to strengthen
systems at NSSA.
She denied accusations that delays in the release of the
audit report were connected to Mupfumira’s arrest. Nzenza said action would be
taken against those implicated in the report. Below are excerpts from the
interview.
JS: What is your response to the allegations of corruption
raised in the recently released NSSA audit report?
SN: I was not there in the past. I started with NSSA as the
new minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and my major
responsibility is to maintain an oversight role at NSSA.
My first priority was to ensure that I have a new board so
that we can have good corporate governance.
What has emerged, particularly with the NSSA forensic audit
report, it’s covering the past, it’s covering the period between February 2015
and February 2018.
What we have seen in the report shows the amount of work
that needs to be done.
I want to assure the public that the turning point for NSSA
is that we are going to practice transparency; we are going to be accountable. We will work towards developing trust, that is absolutely
crucial going forward.
I will not dwell in the past, unless there are good lessons
to be learnt or drawn. My main aim is that we move forward, to do what is right
for the people who entrusted us with their funds.
JS: Do you have the right characters in the board that will
change the fortunes of NSSA?
SN: Within the NSSA board we have representatives from the
employers and the platform that is created by board members will then discuss
how we can ensure that companies are able to contribute to NSSA and in return
NSSA will maintain accountability and transparency.
JS: Pensioners are now earning a paltry ZWL$57 in this
current economic environment. Do you have any plans to review the benefits?
SN: This past month we have given a bonus, the announcement
was made last week, a monthly bonus to all pensioners as a cushioning allowance.
This is a temporary measure we did with the board this past
month, but going forward we intend to review the amounts that the people are
getting.
I am hoping that this is going to ease the economic burden
on them.
However, I am moving towards developing mechanisms for
people who are travelling to far places to access their money so that they get
it closer to their homes. My responsibility is that we provide them with timely
support.
Together with the board and management we need to review
the current processes.
The major thing is to find ways to best get to the people
rather than the people having difficulties to access the nearest NSSA office.
We have pensioners who have no idea where to start to
access their benefits; some do even need to travel to the city, which is a
burden.
JS: The audit report was made public just after the arrest
of Tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira, who is accused of abusing NSSA funds. Was
the timing a mere coincidence or it was planned?
SN: I cannot say that, but the forensic report was finally
ready by Wednesday last week and I was able to present it, that is, the three
big annexures and the big document that is the NSSA forensic report and what is
in there requires legal experts to unpack.
However, I can say that we are working closely with
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commision chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo and
Tabani Mpofu (the head of anti-corruption in the president’s office).
That is their responsibility to unpack and look into it.
But the work that is ahead of us is mainly on how we can
ensure that those who have been entrusted NSSA to look after the pension funds
do it responsibly with accountability and transparency and, above all, ensure
that they practice good corporate governance.
JS: Parliamentarians and others accused you of taking long
to release the report. Was the delay justified and did you release the report
due to pressure?
SN: I realised that there was some serious work to be done
especially issues to do with corporate governance.
The board that was there had its term expired, so the first
important thing I did was to reconstitute a new board whose numbers are almost
complete with two last members joining us this week.
The new board and myself sat down and reviewed the NSSA
report that was commissioned by the auditor general.
Four issues emerged immediately and these include
irregularities regarding ICT, investment, human resources and labour. The
issues were rather complex for one who is not a lawyer.
I, therefore, decided to get a team of expert lawyers to
unpack the report and that took some time.
It took some time to release the report in that hiring
those expert lawyers required serious due diligence and, as per procedure, it
took us two months to secure the experts.
I can understand the impatience by the parliamentarians and
those who have the right to know — the general public — those who entrusted us
to look after their funds.
I am pleased to say the NSSA forensic audit report is out
and within it there are elements that require internal processes.
If they are to do with mismanagement, misconduct those will
be dealt within the legislative labour framework. Standard
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