GOVERNMENT says all civil servants will get their bonuses
for the year in November, amid expectations that the amounts could be increased
so as to continuously improve workers’ welfare.
This was said by Finance and Economic Development Minister
Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday during a post Mid-Year Budget Review and
Supplementary Budget breakfast meeting in Harare.
He said: “. . . I insist that the civil servants will get
their bonuses again this year, on time at the end of November. All of them will
get paid, (because) we want to make sure that we keep that track record in
paying civil servants.
“You know there was a few moments in the past when they
didn’t know when they would get paid, now they know exactly when they will get
paid.
“Who knows what I would do if we end up with a small
surplus at the end of the year, we may even try to over-perform on bonus
payment to the civil servants.”
Last year, Government paid civil servants bonuses on
pensionable salaries only, moving away from the previous practice where it used
to pay the 13th cheque on gross earnings including allowances.
Prof Ncube also called on the private sector to look after
their employees who continue to bear the brunt of high prices of goods and
services.
His call comes as the private sector has been increasing
prices of the goods they make and services offered, but not adjusting employee
salaries.
“I am trying to look after the Government employees; look
after yours as well, keep on topping those salaries. It’s very, very important
because wage erosion is our biggest challenge at the moment. Please do
something about it,” Prof Ncube said.
He conceded that since the introduction of Statutory
Instrument (SI) 142 of 2019, also known as Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Legal
Tender) Regulations, wage and salary erosion was now a big challenge, hence the
need to continuously adjust wages and salaries.
Among other things, SI 142 of 2019 removed the multiple
currency systems and introduced a local currency, the Zimbabwe dollar, which is
now used on all local transactions.
Prof Ncube said it was critical to cushion civil servants
and including pensioners from price increases.
In a bid to improve the lot of civil servants and
pensioners, Government set aside $63 million as a cushion allowance at the
start of the year. On April 1, Government effected a $400 million “cost of
living adjustment” to cushion its employees.
A few weeks ago, Government implemented another once off
cushioning allowance which saw civil servants getting $400 on top of their
monthly salaries.
Negotiations are also ongoing between Government and its
employees with a view to increasing salaries. Apart from a cushioning
allowance, Government has also introduced measures aimed at addressing “pain points”,
especially the introduction of Zupco buses at substantially low fares.
Further, there are plans to find a lasting solution to the
high medical drug costs through a deal with Premier Services Medical Aid
Society (PSMAS). Herald
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