GOVERNMENT workers have engaged lawyers to demand answers to why some civil servants including teachers have not received the local currency component of their November pay and bonus almost a fortnight after payday.
Reports indicate that only the army, police and other members of security services received all their dues.
Unions representing teachers last week wrote to government demanding an explanation over the matter, but authorities are alleged to have remained mum.
NewsDay gathered that while some teachers confirmed receipt of their salaries on Friday, others were in the dark on when they will receive their pay and 13th cheque.
Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) secretary-general, David Dzatsunga on Saturday told NewsDay that workers engaged government to no avail.
“We have not received any feedback from government. We have since engaged our lawyers to act on our behalf and find answers from government as to why it failed to fund the payroll,” he said.
In a letter dated November 22, 2024, addressed to the Public Service Commission seen by NewsDay, ZCPSTU president Cecelia Alexander said government had reneged on a recent National Joint Negotiating Council agreement on the payment of the salaries and bonuses.
“A number of banks have advised our members that they are yet to receive their salaries from government,” the letter read.
- Govt must restore dignity to civil service
- Govt must restore dignity to civil service
- Tackle medical insurance crisis
- Tackle medical insurance crisis
Keep Reading
“This has caused a lot of anger in the workforce and hence our request for a statement from the employer to explain the unprecedented anomaly.”
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) wrote to Public Service minister July Moyo and his Finance counterpart Mthuli Ncube, informing government that the situation in schools was tense.
“Some teachers even travelled intending to access their salaries and got the shock of their lives as they failed to get anything from their banks,” PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said in the letter.
In an interview with NewsDay over the weekend, Majongwe said government had to explain how it is going to compensate teachers “for the devaluation of their salaries over the two week delay.”
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has accused government of failing to value educators.
“This lack of transparency exacerbates feelings of frustration and uncertainty about future payments, Zimta president Akuneni Maphosa said.
“This reminds all employees of the dark period of 2008.”
Efforts to get a comment from the Finance ministry were in vain with its spokesperson Pretty Moyo saying she was out of office.
Deputy minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa was not picking calls.
Both Public Service minister Moyo and ministry secretary Simon Masanga’s mobile numbers were not reachable.
The Finance ministry recently wrote to line ministries warning of spending cuts due to budgetary constraints.
In his 2025 budget presentation, Ncube announced the introduction of a new basket of taxes as the broke government seeks to raise resources to fund its expenditure.
Critics said government must instead focus on cutting wasteful spending such as splashing big on top-of-the-range vehicles for bureaucrats.
Other critics said government’s priorities were misplaced.
