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Raymond Majongwe

Herald Reporter
Civil servants are demanding activation of non-monetary incentives to cushion them from economic challenges facing the country.
As part of their mid-term review of conditions of service, civil servants want Government to provide them with land for housing.
The civil servants also want Government to activate the Civil Service Investment Trust to enable them to participate in indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes.

They have written to the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Ministry requesting a meeting in the “first two weeks of June”.
Apex Council team leader and Zimbabwe Teachers Association president Mr Richard Gundane, said non-monetary incentives should now take centre stage.

“We are expecting a meeting anytime soon as we have written seeking audience with them. We had an agreement in February that another review would be done mid-year.

“We understand the economic challenges prevailing but what we want is a report back on the progress or lack of it with regards to the issue of non-monetary incentives.

“We want to be provided with land such that our members can own houses. This is something that should be expedited,” he said.
He said participation in Government empowerment programmes would supplement low salaries paid to civil servants.

“We have the Civil Service Investment Trust proposed but it is still to be put into action and that is something we are anxiously waiting for. We might spend many years without anything if we fail to get anything now.

“The meeting we requested should also cater for our input in the amendment of the Civil Service Act and the Labour Act.”
The lowest paid Government worker is getting US$375 — about three-quarters to the poverty datum line.

Government is forking out US$155 million in salaries for its 230 000 workers monthly.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said, “We agreed that there should be a road map with regards to non-monetary incentives but it is slowly becoming a pie in the sky because everyone in Government is quiet and seems comfortable with our situation.

“If the promises and proposals were not meant just to pacify us then we should be seeing action on the ground. We had been elated by the breakthrough we made in February and this confidence in the administration should not be eroded.”

Public Service Minister Nicholas Goche is on record saying Government’s long-term plan is to build houses for its workers.
Civil servants also want decompression of grades to take into account experience, seniority and qualifications.

This is because salary differences between one post and the next can be as little as US$1.