HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s promises for a pay hike to government workers was a “high sounding nothing,” civil servants said yesterday.
Mugabe promised to review salaries of civil servants to above the $570 poverty datum line, but no increment has been effected to date.
The least paid civil servant is still getting $296.
“It is very tragic that such promises were coming from the head of State and government,” said David Dzatsunga, chairperson of College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe.
Despite failing to fulfil his promises, Mugabe has not stopped giving more promises of a salary hike.
In December, during the burial of the late nationalist Eric Gwanzura, he again promised to review government workers’ salaries.
On Monday, civil servants threatened to strike unless government reviewed their salaries.
In response, government has said any industrial action must be legal.
Dzatsunga told the Daily News it was unfortunate that civil servants had been promised bottled smoke.
To Dzatsunga, the action by the government to cut allowances for its judiciary workers in more than 10 ministries was a sign the government had no money.
Government has been paying monthly skills retention allowances of between $150 and $400 to magistrates, law officers, prosecutors and other legal officers in various ministries and departments.
“The reality of the matter is, there is no money in the coffers of the government to meet its promises,” Dzatsunga said.
“I stand to be corrected if I am wrong, but it seems our government has no money.”
Nicholas Goche, minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare maintained that his ministry and government workers were still negotiating but were yet to reach a decision.
Unions such as the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) continue to say that dialogue with government should be given a chance before any strike action.