Social Security Authority just as employers are also represented on the board.
Three of the 10 board members appointed by the Minister of Labour and Social Services, Mrs Paurina Mpariwa, were chosen from a list of names submitted by organisations representing employees.

Three were appointed from a list of names submitted by organisations representing employers.
The minister appointed another three board members after consultation with the employer and employee organisations. The 10th board member is the authority’s general manager, who is an ex-officio board member.
The National Social Security Authority Act specifies that up to six board members should be appointed from a panel of names submitted to the minister by organisations representing employees and employers. It also specifies that there must be an equal number of employee and employer nominees appointed.

The Act provides for up to three more board appointments by the minister after consultation with employer and employee organisations. The general manager is always an ex-officio board member in terms of the Act.
Both employers and employees are thus well represented on the board, which is responsible for running NSSA.
Since the purpose of the Act is to establish and operate social security schemes for the benefit of employees and since contributions are required from employees and employers in respect of schemes such as the national pension scheme, it is understandable that the Act should provide for both employees and employers to be represented on the board.

The term of office of board members is fixed by the minister but may not be more than three years.
The present NSSA board was appointed in September last year. The chairman and deputy chairman are appointed by the minister. The present chairman is lawyer Innocent Chagonda. The deputy chairman is Zimbabwe Business Council on Aids executive director David Mutambara.

The board members chosen from employer organisations’ nominations are Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Joseph Kanyekanye, former Chamber of Mines chief executive Christopher Hokonya and Harambe Holdings chief executive David Govere.
The workers’ organisations’ representatives are Cecilia Alexander, who is president of the Public Service Association, Kennias Shamuyarira, general secretary of the National Education Union of

Zimbabwe and secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions, and Ephanos Makiwa, who is a member of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions General Council.
The three board members appointed by the minister after consultation with employer and employee organisations are Mr Chagonda, Mr Mutambara and Rosa Dube, who is a senior consultant with Designer Technology Business Solutions.

The Act also specifies that the board members should be chosen for their ability and experience in administration or finance or their professional qualifications or for their suitability on other grounds.
The Minister of Labour and Social Services is empowered by the Act to designate civil servants to attend and participate in board meetings but such civil servants do not have a vote on any question before the board or a board committee. The minister has designated ministry finance and administration director Regis Chinembiri to represent the ministry at meetings of the NSSA board.

NSSA’s management reports to the board and implements board decisions. The board and management are expected, in terms of the Act, to promote the efficient provision of social security, taking into account the national interest and the interests of every employer and employee who contributes to any of its schemes.

NSSA is required, insofar as is practicable, to act in consultation with those whose interests are affected by its operations. Employees and employers can rest assured, therefore, that their interests are bound to be taken into account by NSSA, not only because the NSSA Act requires this but because both employees and employers are well represented on the NSSA board.
The Act requires the authority to appoint an actuary approved by the minister to review and evaluate actuarially every scheme, including the rates of contributions payable, at least once every three years in respect of long-term benefits and at least once every year in respect of short-term benefits.

The actuary is also expected to make recommendation with respect to the establishment and maintenance of financial reserves. The board is required to submit the actuary’s reports and recommendations to the Minister of Labour and Social Services.

The Talking Social Security Column is published each week by the National Social Security Authority as a public service.

  • Readers who have any questions are welcome to e-mail their questions to [email protected] or text them to

077 2 469 801.

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