WeeklySA_AdminStuck:She could not afford to bury him and still owes people who came to her rescue
By Thuli Zungu
Nosekeni Ndleleni, 55, of Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape has accused the Salt Employee Benefit Fund (Salteb) of adding salt into her wound in the past six years after the death of her husband.
According to Salteb her waiting could take another year as this claim may require to be assessed according to section 37C of the Pension Funds Act.
Her husband Mcedisi Ndleleni died in March 2015 at the age of 53 while employed by Fidelity Security. Her wife said he worked odd hours and at times he did not take his leave days so that he could accumulate more money to support his family of six. Her husband’s payslips showed that he contributed towards his pension fund and at the time of his death her death benefit was R34 363.
Although she was also entitled to a funeral benefit which was supposed to be paid within seven days after his death, this never happened, she said.
The family and friends had to join hands to contribute towards the burial expenses. “I still owe people who lent me money to bury my husband,” a stressed Ndleleni said. Her children have since been staying with her sister, Buyi, in Carletonville, while she lives in the rural area with one of her unemployed children.
They survive by doing domestic work including washing and cleaning Houses of neighbours as and when their services were required.
Ndleleni said due to proximity problems she appointed her son to be the executor of his father’s estate and the letter of authority was issued in his name. “It was extremely difficult for me to go to town and fax the compulsory documents and phoning Johannesburg is also cumbersome since I am unemployed and do not qualify for a government grant yet.” Since 2015, Salteb has been telling the family that they were waiting for trustees to decide on the distribution of the funds, a process which takes one year, she said. “I can’t take this anymore and I don’t want to die without paying the people who lent me money.”
An unidentified person who responded on behalf of Salteb told Consumer Eye that their payment had been delayed due to contributions issues.
“The employer has since provided an updated schedule in this regard and once the monthly contributions are done, we will process the claim,” the person said in an email. Although Salteb received this claim six years ago, the respondent said this may require to be assessed according to section 37C of the Pension Funds Act.
