A BEITBRIDGE male teacher at the weekend knelt down before
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi begging him to influence an upward pay review for
teachers.
Poloko Malapela, a teacher at Dulivhadzimo Primary School,
who was the master of ceremonies at the funeral of Admire Mbedzi, Mohadi’s
nephew who was buried on Saturday, drew both sympathy and praise from the crowd
when he made his passionate plea.
“I have a request Vice-President Mohadi, I am going to
kneel down to drive home this important message to you,” Malapela said, as he
crouched in front of Mohadi.
“We are suffering and life has become hard and can you
please put word for us so we can have a salary raise.”
For a moment, the sombre mood at Mohadi’s Mtetengwe
homestead was lightened as mourners cheered on Malapela, who soon after driving
his point home returned to funeral business.
Earlier, Mohadi had explained that if government released
more money into the market, it would have inflationary effects. He did not respond to Malapela’s request, but merely nodded
his head.
Zimbabwean teachers have reportedly gone on a nationwide
go-slow to press for a pay rise, arguing that their salaries were too low and
they could not afford to send their children to the very schools they are
stationed.
Civil servants received cushioning allowances ranging
between $400 and $800 this month.
However, they have been demanding that their employer
adjusts their salaries to match what they used to earn during the dollarisation
period. Newsday
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