PUBLIC Service Commission (PSC) Secretary of Commissions ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe on Wednesday assured government pensioners that they will (effective this month) get the provisional 40 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) awarded to the rest of the civil service, Zim Morning Post can report.
The question to Ambassador Wutawunashe arose after this publication was inundated with calls from pensioners who wanted the PSC to clarify government policy on pensioners’ allowances.
In the past, government pensioners were only liable to an adjustment calculable from the real percentage salaries increaments awarded to those still employed in the civil service and not the COLA.
But according to the PSC boss, Wutawunashe, things had since changed:
“When serving members get a cost of living adjustment, (government) pensioners get a corresponding one.
“That will naturally be the case this time around.”
Zim Morning Post also sought from Ambassador Wutawunashe whether the 40 percent COLA review was immediately implementable with pensioners as happened with the rest of the civil service.
“Pensioners’ adjustments are effective the same month those for serving members are effective.
“Sometimes there is a slight delay in the disbursement to pensioners, as calculations for them are directly dependent on those for serving members.
“Even then, the effective date remains the same, which means they get backdated disbursements.”
Government pensions are paid to retired civil servants, among them veterans of the Second Chimurenga War.
