Agb Speaker, een van die grootste pensioenfondse in Suid-Afrika, die Transnet-pensioenfonds, maak voorsiening vir net 2% groei per jaar in die pensioene. Hierdie pensionarisse kry baie swaar en leef in armoede.
Op 2 November 2010 het 'n taakspan, waarop ek en drie ANC-LP's gedien het, 'n aanbeveling via die komitee aan die Parlement gedoen om die voordele van hierdie pensioenfonds te verbeter. Die Parlement het hierdie verslag op 18 November 2010 eenparig aanvaar. Die parlementre verslag het bepaal dat R1,9 miljard aan die fonds oorbetaal moet word om voorsiening te maak vir 'n ex gratia betaling gelykstaande aan vyf maande se pensioen aan elke pensionaris; dat die pensioenbasis met 3,2% moet verhoog; en dat pensioene dan jaarliks met 75% van die verbruikersprysindeks op die verhoogde basis moet groei.
Die Minister van Finansies het op 24 Augustus 2011 in antwoord op 'n mondelinge vraag hier in die Parlement aangekondig, en ek haal hom aan:
The Minister of Finance has met with the Minister of Public Enterprises and reached agreement that Transnet will be responsible for providing all of the funding.
Met ander woorde, Transnet sou die volle R1,9 miljard aan die fonds oorbetaal. Maar op 13 September 2011, 'n paar dae gelede, het Transnet se hoofuitvoerende beampte die Komitee vir Openbare Ondernemings in die Parlement ingelig dat hierdie Parlement nie vir Transnet sal voorskryf wat om te doen nie. Dit, ten spyte daarvan dat Transnet 'n openbare korporasie is en dat die staat die aandeelhouer is. Die hoofuitvoerende beampte van Transnet se mening is niks anders as minagting van die Parlement nie, en ons vra dat die Minister dringend ingryp. [Applous.] AGB LEDE: Hoor! Hoor! (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr S M VAN DYK (DA): Hon Speaker, one of the biggest pension funds in South Africa, the Transnet Pension Fund, makes provision for only 2% growth per annum in pensions. These pensioners are struggling and living in poverty.
On 2 November 2010, a task team, on which three ANC MPs and I served, made a recommendation to Parliament via the committee to improve the benefits of this pension fund. Parliament approved this report unanimously on 18 November 2010. The parliamentary report determined that R1,9 billion should be paid over to the fund to make provision for an ex gratia payment, equal to five months' pension, to every pensioner; that the pension base should be increased by 3,2%; and that pensions should then have to grow annually by 75% of the consumer price index on the increased base.
On 24 August 2011, in reply to an oral question here in Parliament, the Minister of Finance responded, and I quote:
The Minister of Finance has met with the Minister of Public Enterprises and reached agreement that Transnet will be responsible for providing all of the funding.
In other words, Transnet would pay over the full amount of R1,9 billion to the fund. But on 13 September 2011, a couple of days ago, Transnet's chief executive officer informed the Committee on Public Enterprises in Parliament that this Parliament will not prescribe to Transnet what to do. This, despite the fact that Transnet is a public corporation, and the state is the shareholder. The view expressed by Transnet's chief executive officer amounts to nothing less than contempt of Parliament, and we ask the Minister to intervene urgently. [Applause.]
HON MEMBERS: Hear! Hear!]