Voorsitter, hierdie wet maak voorsiening vir die behoud van lidmaatskap van pensioenfondse, veral wanneer werknemers as gevolg van herstrukturerings oorgeplaas word. Dit handel, met wysigings, oor die Transnet-pensioenbedeling en is die gevolg van 'n proses van oorlegpleging tussen Transnet, sy pensioenfondse en die vakbonde. Maar ek wil nie praat namens die pensioenfondse of die vakbonde wat goed verteenwoordig was in die proses om die wysigingswet tot in sy huidige vorm te kry nie.
Ek wil praat namens een van die mees kwesbare belangegroepe in die Transnet- pensioensage en dit is die bejaardes wat lid is van die tweede vastevoordeelpensioenfonds. Hulle het geen bedingingsmag nie. Hulle kan nie staak nie, want hulle is nie veronderstel om te werk nie. Hulle behoort met waardigheid hul oudag te geniet en te rus van die dekadelange onbaatsugtige diens aan Suid-Afrika. Hierdie mense het meestal voor 1990 afgetree en is nou almal reeds diep in die sewentig of ouer. Meeste is verswak.
Gister het ek 'n oproep van 'n mev Esterhuizen ontvang. Sy het my meegedeel dat sy namens haar vader skakel. Hy het 'n beroerte gehad en kan nie meer sien nie, maar hy wil weet of ons kan help om sy karige Transnetpensioen te laat aanpas. Weens swak bestuur het hierdie pensioentrekkers nie gedeel in die ongekende groei van die markte die afgelope drie jaar nie. Hulle pensioen het nou reeds drie jaar na mekaar met slegs die statutre minimum van 2% verhoog. Baie van hulle kry 'n maandelikse pensioen wat laer is as die standaard staatspensioen vir bejaardes.
Hierdie Huis het 'n verantwoordelikheid teenoor die mees kwesbares in die gemeenskap. Sekere sake kan nie net aan die markte oorgelaat word om op te los nie. Ons word hier gekonfronteer met 'n konsepwet wat die resultaat is van onderhandelinge tussen amptenare en vakbonde. Die Parlement hoef nie maar net 'n rubberstempel te wees van 'n konsepwet wat swyg oor die lot van weerloses in die samelewing nie. Die VF Plus wil vra dat hierdie wysigingswet aangepas word, om ook voorsiening te maak vir 'n verhoging van die statutre minimumaanpassing van 2%. Die verkoop van die Kaapse Waterfront sal hopelik die finansile krisis van die vastevoordeelfonds verlig. Ons kan hier seker maak dat Transnet wel doen wat nodig is om ook die swaarkry van sy afgetredenes te verlig. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr W D SPIES: Chairperson, this Act makes provision for the preservation of membership of pension funds, especially when employees are transferred as a result of restructuring. It deals, along with amendments, with the Transnet pension allocation and is the result of a consultation process between Transnet, its pension funds and the unions. But I do not want to speak on behalf of pension funds or the unions that were well represented in the process to get the draft Bill in its current form.
I want to speak on behalf of the most vulnerable interest group in the Transnet pension saga, and that is the elderly that are members of the second defined benefit pension fund. They do not have any bargaining powers. They cannot strike, because they are not supposed to work. They are supposed to enjoy their retirement with dignity and rest after decades of selfless service to South Africa. Most of them retired before 1990 and all of them are in their mid-seventies and older. Most are frail.
Yesterday I received a call from a Mrs Esterhuizen. She informed me that she was calling on behalf of her father. He had a stroke and cannot see any more, but he wants to know if we can't help to get his meagre Transnet pension adjusted. Due to poor management these pensioners did not share in the record growth of the markets over the past three years. Their pension only increased with the statutory minimum of 2%. Many of them receive a monthly pension that is lower than the standard government pension for the elderly.
This House has a responsibility towards the most vulnerable in the community. Certain cases cannot be left to the markets to resolve. We are confronted here with a draft Bill that is the result of negotiations between officials and unions. Parliament does not only have to be a rubber stamp for a draft Bill that is silent about the fate of the vulnerable in society. The FF Plus asks that this amendment Bill should be adjusted, to make provision for an increase of the statutory minimum adjustment of 2%. The selling of the Cape Waterfront will hopefully relieve the financial crisis of the defined benefit fund. We can ensure that Transnet does what it takes to relieve the suffering of its retired workers. Thank you very much.]