Disgruntled workers at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) have accused military personnel seconded to the parastatal of double–dipping after it emerged the latter were drawing salaries from both government and the cash-strapped parastatal.
The workers told NewsDay, a group of 300 soldiers attached to the NRZ were drawing salaries from the Ministry of Defence and the parastatal, forcing the latter to stagger its salary disbursements to its employees.
The employees said the parastatal was still to pay them salaries for March.
“There are over 300 soldiers who have been attached to the NRZ since around 2008. However, we have since discovered that they earn double salaries,” said an NRZ employee, who refused to be mentioned.
“This military personnel ispaid by the ministry and at the same time they get paid by NRZ.”
Another employee said: “The company is failing to pay us our salaries on time, on claims that it is facing financial challenges, but they are able to pay the attached soldiers on time.”
The employees said their salary payment was behind schedule by two months, as the parastatal was still paying them their March salaries.
Although no comment could be obtained from ZNA, NRZ spokesperson Fanuel Masikati confirmed the presence of the military personnel.
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He also confirmed they were behind schedule paying their employees, but could neither confirm nor deny charges of double-dipping.
“It is not only NRZ that has people attached to it and let us not say soldiers, but let us say attachés because there is no organisation countrywide that does not have people attached to it,” he said.
“We do have people who are attached to NRZ for specific expertise, which we do not have as a company.”
Masikati however denied allegations that full-time NRZ employees were paid last.
“To say who gets paid how much, how many times, first or last is neither here nor there. At the end of the day, we make sure that our employees are paid.
“It is also important for me to state that we always prioritise NRZ employees when paying salaries. We had a temporary setback, but I am glad to say we have paid them their March salaries and we are now up to date.”
Government has been accused of strategically positioning ex-military personnel in positions of authority within State institutions like the Grain Marketing Board, Air Zimbabwe, NRZ and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
