President Emmerson Mnangagwa stated that civil servants’ salaries will be adjusted to their satisfaction once the economy improves.
Since October 2018, civil servants have persistently advocated for the reinstatement of their salaries, initially aiming for up to US$540 for the lowest-paid worker and subsequently raising their demand to US$840.
However, during the main 2024 Independence Day celebrations at Murambinda B High School in Murambinda, Buhera District, Manicaland Province, President Mnangagwa asserted that civil servants’ salaries would align with the economy’s performance. He said:
The welfare of our civil servants will continue to be reviewed in line with economic sustainability.
The majority of civil servants get US$320 per month, before tax and extortionate bank charges, and part of the salary is paid in ZiG.
Mnangagwa’s remarks that the welfare of government employees would be assessed based on economic fundamentals will likely further dampen the spirit of civil servants who have been pushing for a review of their conditions of service since October 2018.
Earlier this week, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions’ (ZCPTSU) Secretary General David Dzatsunga was quoted by TellZim News, as saying civil servants prefer the USD as acceptance of the ZiG would be based on its performance.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) launched ZiG on 05 April to stabilise the volatile exchange rate.
While businesses rushed to reconfigure their system to adapt to the ZiG, one of the biggest concerns is whether it will create a parallel currency market — one of the biggest threats to exchange rate stability.
