The Mining Industry Pension Fund (MIPF), established in 1952 to secure retirement income for mining employees, is gearing up for its first-ever participation at the Minex Expo Southern Region 2025, set to take place on April 3, 2025, at the Gresham Grounds in Zvishavane. With a pressing mission to address the growing issue of unclaimed pension benefits, MIPF aims to use the expo as a platform to educate and reconnect with stakeholders, ensuring no employee’s retirement savings are left behind.
According to MIPF Manager Thulani Ndlovu, the fund faces a significant challenge: many former mining employees leave their jobs without claiming their entitled benefits, often due to a lack of awareness or inadequate communication. “We have a huge problem of people who have left employment but have not claimed their benefits,” Ndlovu said. He explained that some employees, particularly those hired from local communities, are unaware of what MIPF is or how to access its services, leaving their pensions unclaimed even after contract termination.
The Minex Expo 2025, made possible with support from major sponsors including Platinum Miner Mimosa, Zimra, First Link Insurance, and Fidelity Gold Refiners, offers MIPF a golden opportunity to launch a targeted awareness campaign. The event will bring together employers, employees, and the public, providing a forum for MIPF to urge members to update their contact details, including phone numbers, addresses, and next-of-kin information. “If we don’t educate and interact with them, employees will remain in the dark,” Ndlovu emphasized, stressing the importance of ensuring former employees can be located and informed about their benefits.
The expo itself is poised to be a landmark event for the mining sector, with key players like MIPF offering critical education to miners. Attendees can expect sessions on tax literacy, mining innovation and technology as well as pension rights, MIPF’s presence at the fair underscores its commitment to ensuring that every miner, past and present, understands and accesses their retirement security.
