High court ordered that Azapo member be paid
Retired Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) and Black Consciousness Movement of Azania member and struggle veteran Sello Phalama has accused the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA), which administers the special pensions fund, of treating him shabbily.
Phalama, 56, alleges that the Government Employees Pension Fund’s director for special pensions fund, Kabelo Jonathan, let him down.
Speaking to Sunday World, Phalama said Jonathan has allegedly delayed the process of reinstating his special pension that was rescinded in 2018.
In August last year, the high court in Pretoria ruled that the pension payment should be reinstated.
He said he started receiving the pension from August 2010 and it was withdrawn in March 2017.
In the court order seen by Sunday World, the high court directed the respondents (finance minister, director-general of the National Treasury, GPAA and Jonathan) to pay all the arrears due to Phalama up to and including the date of the order.
“Jonathan is unable to comprehend what is expected of him, which is to serve. He behaves as if he is doing me a favour,” said Phalama.
When asked for comment, Jona – than said he was not allowed to speak to the media, but confirmed that Phalama submitted scanned documents aer he had asked for original documents.
But Phalama insists he e-mailed the documents and even sent originals to his office, which Jonathan had since acknowledged receipt in an e-mail seen by Sunday World.
GPAA’s Mack Lewele said the agency was unable to comment because Phalama has appointed an attorney to handle this matter for him.
