Civil servants report union over ‘illegal deductions’
By Charles Musonda
CIVIL Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) president Dr Joy Beene and his general secretary Makai Makai have been reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over questionable pension deductions from union members without their consent, The Mast can report.
Makai has confirmed that over 35,000 CSAWUZ members countrywide had K54 each deducted from their January salary before the consultation and sensitisation were completed.
An impeccable source said a complaint of illegal deductions was reported to the ACC last week against Dr Beene and Makai.
The source said about K1,890,000 (K1.8 million) was deducted from over 35,000 members countrywide without their consent.
“Clearly, this amounts to money laundering and giving false information to the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) to proceed with deductions from workers without their consent. We are not members of that Liberty Insurance Company,” the source said.
“Further, it is alleged that the reason behind this scam was to give huge commission, hence making it compulsory. I am aware that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) does not compel union members to subscribe without their consent,” said the source.
But when contacted for a comment on the allegation, Makai denied wrong doing saying in July last year, there was a quadrennial conference in Livingstone where members resolved to have a second tier pension scheme.
He said later, the union proceeded to implement the resolution and engaged Liberty Insurance and the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding.
When the MoU was signed it was agreed that sensitisation of members countrywide would be undertaken before implementing it.
“So, as of December only three provinces were sensitised. In January the sensitisation had continued until all the provinces were visited. Unfortunately, in January the deduction of the scheme was done before the sensitisation and consent could finish,” Makai said.
He said the union then quickly met with the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) and the deduction was reversed.
“So there is nobody who has been deducted. It was an error. The money was deducted yes, but the deduction was made before everyone was consulted and sensitised. So, the K54 was refunded and nobody is owed that money. It was an error and the refund was already made,” Makai said.
“Immediately the union observed that there was a deduction on its members we engaged government and the reversal was done because the consultation was not concluded.”
He said he was not aware of anyone reporting the matter to ACC.
Makai dismissed allegation of ill intention saying the issue was straightforward.
He said he attended the conference which was officially opened by President Hakainde Hichilema where the resolution was made.
There was nothing to hide about the transaction under the MoU.
“I’m on leave pending retirement, but if they call me I will be there. It is not a personal issue. It is an institutional issue. It is a straightforward issue and all the documentations are there. It is just that it is the president [Dr Beene] who was chairing the meetings and I was just the secretary,” Makai said.
By press time, The Mast was still awaiting a response from ACC after submitting a query on the matter.
