ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe’s Minister for Finance, Patrick Chinamasa (pictured) has laid the country’s continuing economic woes firmly at the feet of the Public Service, saying that for every dollar the country receives in revenue, 90 cents is spent on their wages.
The Minister, a long-time advocate of PS wage restraint, said the recent pay rise and allowances awarded to PS staff would worsen current cash shortages.
“For as long as we are using the US dollar as our currency and with so little exports from the country, it will be difficult to have enough to solve the country’s cash crisis,” Mr Chinamasa said.
He said the recent 15 per cent pay rise for Government workers to prevent politically damaging strikes ahead of elections in two months would only worsen the situation.
“Another problem causing cash shortages is the fact that we have a huge fiscal debt,” Mr Chinamasa said.
“For every $100 we receive from taxes, 90 per cent is going to wages; this is for Civil Servants and I want them to hear this.”
He said the situation was going to be made worse because of the allowance adjustments for nurses, teachers, doctors and the rest of the Public Service.
Meanwhile, PS staff have called for a further meeting with President, Emmerson Mnangagwa to plan the way ahead, saying the wage settlement does not meet all their demands.
Vice-Chair of the umbrella Apex Council of Public Service unions, Thomas Muzondo said Apex wanted to raise the issue of unpaid vacation leave for teachers.
“The Government has offered to pay for the accrued leave, but in a staggered form … we want it as a one-off payment,” Mr Muzondo said.
Harare, 20 May 2018
