ABOUT 52 former employees of Maamba Collieries Limited, who were retrenched over 20 years ago, have sued the energy company seeking payment of more than K6 million being their total pension dues.
James Chinene, suing on his behalf and that of 51 others, wants the Lusaka High Court to order Maamba Collieries Limited to pay them K6,182,620.69 being total pension dues each of the plaintiffs is entitled.
They also want interest, damages and costs.
In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry recently, the plaintiffs explained that Maamba Collieries Limited was in the business of mining and selling coal.
Chinene and the others stated that upon being employed by Maamba Collieries Limited, they were made to join the Zambia State Insurance Company (ZSIC) Pension Scheme, which was a compulsory requirement for all employees.
The plaintiffs stated that they were at the time of their aforementioned retrenchment below the age of 55 years, being the age, one qualified to receive his pension contributions.
“The plaintiff salaries were every month of during the subsistence of their employment deducted an amount by the defendant purportedly going to the pension scheme as their contributions. The plaintiffs are now 55 years and others above 55 years and are desirous of being paid their pension dues,” read the claim.
The 52 plaintiffs further stated that they wrote to Maamba Collieries Limited, but did not receive any response or explanation.
They added that their inquiry with ZSIC Pension Scheme revealed that the money contributed by them was paid to Maamba Collieries.
Chinene and the 51 others stated that some of the contributions deducted from their salaries for purposes of pension contributions were actually not remitted by Maamba Collieries to the ZSIC pension scheme.
The plaintiffs stated that they were now desirous of being paid their pension monies as they had reached or passed the retirement age.
They stated that Maamba Collieries Limited had refused or neglected to pay them their dues.
