Story by Silibaziso Dlodlo
THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has launched a pension awareness programme for human resources officers in Bulawayo to strengthen pension administration, improve retirement planning and enhance service delivery across the public service.
The programme, which began on Monday at the Public Service Academy’s Elangeni Training Centre, is designed to address knowledge gaps on pension regulations, retirement procedures and benefits administration.
Participants said the training would improve their capacity to process pension applications efficiently while ensuring retiring civil servants receive better support.
Human Resources Officer in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment Development and Vocational Training, Ms Nomzamo Malinga, said the workshop had provided practical skills while reinforcing ethical conduct.
“The workshop has been very important. We have learnt how to improve pension processing for officers leaving Government service, while strengthening service delivery. We have also been reminded of the importance of upholding integrity and combating corruption in our workplaces,” she said.
Human Resources Officer in the Ministry of Defence, Mr Daniel Maveva said the programme would help clarify issues relating to pension rebates and recently completed job evaluations.
“I am looking forward to gaining a better understanding of pension rebates, where there have been cases of abuse. I also want to understand the implications of the recently concluded job evaluations so that I can effectively share this information with staff,” he said.
Human Resources Officer in the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities for Bulawayo Province, Ms Mayibongwe Ncube said the training highlighted the need to guide employees throughout the retirement process.
“HR officers must be approachable and provide proper advice to officers preparing for retirement. It is our responsibility to ensure they are well informed throughout the process,” she said.
PSC General Manager for Provincial Coordination, Mr Lender Richard Dube said many of the challenges affecting pension, payroll and human resources departments stem from limited knowledge of pension procedures.
“There remains a significant knowledge gap regarding pension rules and benefits. This often results in incomplete or inaccurate applications being submitted to Head Office, creating operational challenges that affect service delivery,” he said.
Mr Dube said the awareness campaign supports the objectives of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) by strengthening retirement planning, improving pension administration and enhancing the welfare of public servants.
The programme is expected to reduce administrative errors, improve efficiency and ensure retiring public servants receive their benefits without unnecessary delays.
