12 Jul 2016

The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso,  says there are delays in payments of pension arrears  to surviving spouses.  

Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, Ms Tshireletso said the department of social protection had put in place a system that would  pay all eligible arrears as soon as they were reported.

She explained that the procedure was that if there was any beneficiary who had not received his or her arrears for a deceased spouse, they would be required to get to nearest pension offices at the district commissioners office to enquire or report the matter.

Ms Tshireletso  explained that the beneficiaries were required to bring along a letter from kgosi or kgosana that identified the legal representative or heir, a copy of death certificate and report to department of social protection for reconciliation to take place and termination of the deceased beneficiary from the payroll and preparation payment. Minister Tshireletso was responding to a question by Tati West MP, Mr Biggie Butale who asked if minister was aware that surviving spouses of deceased partners had a hard time in  receiving pension arrears that were due to the deceased and what was being done to address the situation. ENDS