20 Aug 2020

  Kanye Administrative Authority (KAA) councillors have expressed different view on a motion calling for reduction of retirement age to 55.

  Tabled by Gakebuang ward councillor, Mr Oteng Wadipodi during the ongoing council session, calls on government to consider reducing mandatory retirement age from 60 to 55 to create employment opportunities for young people.

“I want to make it clear that this motion is targeting professional, permanent and pensionable employees not councillors. I believe that retirement age should be reduced to 55 so that young people could be absorbed in the workplaces thereby reducing the escalating rate of youth unemployment in our country,” he said.

Mr Wadipodi said most people who had attained the age of 55 owned plots and other property from which they could earn a living. Shortage of jobs had driven young people to give up on their dreams and take different paths not in line with their careers, he said.However, Mafhikana ward councillor Mr Thamiso Chabalala said reducing the retirement age would not be fair on retirees since most employees were subjected to black tax in their early lives.

“While I agree that youth unemployment is a great concern, there’s also a saying that you can’t rob Peter to give Paul. In my view, this approach would not be sustainable,” he said.

Mr Chabalala said there was need to engage thoroughly to find ways to open the economy to absorb young people while at the same time protecting people who were not ready to retire. 

In addition, not all employees over the age of 55 had the means and resources to go into other ventures, he said..

He emphasised the need to diversify the economy to create employment opportunities for young people in their various fields and qualifications.

Dilolwe ward councillor Mr Morapedi Kgosithebe said retirees should not become destitutes post-employment. 

Government, he said, should consider  enrolling retirees into the Old Age Pension Scheme immediately to cushion them against poverty.“We have to consider them lest they end up depending on government for support thereafter. That way it would not serve any purpose,” he said.

Lotlhakane East councillor Mr Shimane Thelo concurred that reducing the retirement age would impoverish people since they would have to wait 10 years to qualify for old age pension. 

He said most people created a lot of debt mid-life therefore forcing them to retire while they were still recovering would create challenges. Instead, mandatory retirement age should be increased to 65 years so that they could immediately be enrolled into the old age pension, he said.

”Most government programmes are targeting young people and only a few opportunities for people 55 years and above. Reducing the retirement age would not be fair for this age group,” he noted.

Supporting the motion, Segwaga ward cllr Mr Mogorosi Naolwakgosi said 55 years was a good time to retire because people still had energy to venture into other activities such as agriculture.Retirement packages would come in handy for investing in sustainable projects, he said.ends