ONATRA Retirees Matadi: Unpaid Pensions Spark Protest

• ONATRA retirees and widows in Matadi staged a sit-in to demand over 100 months of unpaid benefits, including final settlements, pensions, and 'waiting salaries'.
• Some of the outstanding arrears date back more than a decade, causing severe hardship and reportedly leading to the deaths of over 300 former colleagues.
• Retirees also accuse the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) of failing to provide support despite their career-long contributions.
• A widow reported her husband, an ONATRA employee since 1984, died in 2025 without receiving his final settlement, with recent communications suggesting retirees will no longer be paid.
• Union representatives are urging provincial and national authorities to intervene urgently to restore the retirees' and widows' rights.

Without these crucial 'waiting salaries,' retirees assert they are being condemned to death, with over three hundred of their colleagues already succumbing due to a lack of assistance.

A group of retirees and widows of former employees from the National Transport Office (ONATRA) staged a sit-in on Friday, September 12, in front of the company's offices in Matadi. Their demonstration aimed to demand the immediate payment of their final settlements, pensions, and over one hundred months of outstanding 'waiting salaries.' These ONATRA pension arrears in the DRC represent a significant financial burden, with some of the unpaid amounts reportedly dating back more than a decade.

The prolonged non-payment has plunged numerous families into severe financial distress. Many former ONATRA agents, after dedicating years of service to the company, now find themselves facing retirement without the essential income they anticipated to cover their basic needs. Zéphirin Kipamu, who retired in 2016, voiced the gravity of the situation, stating that without these crucial 'waiting salaries,' retirees assert they are being condemned to death, with over three hundred of their colleagues already succumbing due to a lack of assistance. Despite these dire circumstances, ONATRA management has reportedly remained unresponsive to their pleas.

The hardship extends to widows of former workers, as highlighted by Marie Masevo. She recounted that her husband, who worked at ONATRA since 1984, passed away in 2025 without ever receiving his final settlement. Masevo expressed profound concern over recent communications suggesting that retirees would no longer receive payments, questioning how they are expected to survive under such conditions. This Matadi ONATRA retiree protest underscores a deepening humanitarian crisis for those who dedicated their careers to the state-owned enterprise.

Beyond the immediate issue of ONATRA pension arrears, the protesting retirees also voiced strong grievances regarding the National Social Security Fund (CNSS). They accuse the CNSS of failing to provide them with support, despite having made consistent contributions throughout their careers. This CNSS ONATRA benefits dispute points to potential systemic issues within the DRC social security non-payment framework, raising questions about the efficacy and reliability of the national pension system.

The situation highlights broader concerns about Congo labor law pension claims and the enforcement of social security obligations for state-owned entities. The retirees' complaints suggest a disconnect between employee contributions and the actual provision of benefits, leaving vulnerable populations without their rightful entitlements. This aspect of the protest broadens the scope beyond just ONATRA's direct financial obligations to include the role of national social security institutions.

Union representatives, observing the escalating crisis, have issued urgent appeals to both provincial and national authorities. They are calling for immediate action to ensure that the ONATRA retirees and widows have their rights restored and receive the benefits they are owed. The long-standing nature of these arrears, some stretching back over ten years, indicates a deep-seated problem that requires decisive governmental intervention.

The plight of these former workers, many of whom are elderly and in precarious health, underscores the critical need for robust oversight of pension and final settlement obligations, particularly within state-owned enterprises. The reported deaths of over 300 former colleagues due to lack of assistance serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of delayed or denied benefits, making the call for urgent action from authorities a matter of life and death for many.

This case highlights significant social security and labor law compliance risks for state-owned enterprises in the DRC. Lawyers should advise clients on reviewing their pension and final settlement obligations to mitigate potential collective action and reputational damage, especially concerning long-standing arrears and CNSS contributions.

Source: Original reporting via local media