FRUSTRATED Gauteng Provincial Fundpensioners and beneficiaries gathered outside the Government Employees Pension Fund (GPEF) offices in Joburg on Friday, 30 September.
They wanted to know why they received a reduction on their pension without being notified.
They were allegedly told the GPEF building had no water and therefore, they could not be assisted.
“When we woke up that morning, we realised that the government had deducted money from our pension fund,” said Belina Molete.
“I receive R13 000 monthly, but I only got R8 000,” said Belina Molete.
She said they were never informed about the deductions.
“When we got here this morning, we found their doors closed with a notice saying there’s no water,” she said.
Beneficiaries also raised concerns that the sudden deductions will affect their medical, electricity bills and bond repayment.
A beneficiary, who lost her husband, Dudu Ndlebe, said: s is the only money she has to feed her kids. “If they take from the little we’re getting, what must happen to us?”
GPEF told Daily Sunit has noted the concerns raised by pensioners. with respect to a reduction in their pension. It said according to the Income Tax Act, the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) implemented a directive from SARS that provided for a revised rate of tax to be deducted from pensioners’ monthly payment.
It said prior to implementing the revised tax rate, the GPAA wrote to all affected pensioners giving them options.
The GPEF said pensioners have the option to opt out of the revised tax rate from SARS and revert to the normal PAYE rate applicable to their pension.
using the contact details that GPAA has informing them of the choices they have. Some pensioners might have not received the correspondence or did not fully understand the options they had.
“It is important to note this only applies to pensioners who receive more than one source of taxable income in addition to their GEPF pension, that is the income sources as reflected on the SARS tax system,” said the GEPF.
