Status on the department regarding pensioners from Zimbabwe
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 317.N477E PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 8 OF 9 MARCH 2007
Dr F J van Heerden ( FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs:†
(1) Whether her department has been informed that pensioners from Zimbabwe who have been resident in South Africa since 2003 are not receiving their government pensions; if so,
(2) whether the Government is rendering any assistance to these pensioners in obtaining their (a) monthly and (b) outstanding pensions; if not, why not; if so, (i) what is the (aa) format and (bb) extent of this assistance and (ii) what problems is the Government experiencing in getting the pension monies of these pensioners transferred? N477E
Reply
Yes. The South African Government is aware that there are Zimbabwean citizens residing in South Africa who have not been receiving their pension payouts from the Zimbabwean Government regularly.
No. The Office of the Chief Law Adviser (IL) was consulted on this matter and advised that the Department of Foreign Affairs does not have locus standi to intervene in this matter as no agreement exists between South Africa and Zimbabwe that regulates the situation of the payment of pensions to their respective citizens when they reside in their respective countries.
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