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Bulawayo Bureau
A MAJORITY of civil servants who did not receive their bonuses last month will get them before the end of the month while the rest will get them staggered up to the end of January, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Public Service Minister Prisca Mupfumira on Tuesday said due to cash flow challenges, Government could not pay all the bonuses at once as promised.

Civil servants, however, said they were not aware of the development and expressed anger at their employer, saying they were being forced to adjust their budgets once again.

The Government last week shifted bonus dates from this week to the first week of January.

“Due to low cash inflows being experienced at Treasury, we realised that we could no longer pay the outstanding bonuses at once. Government then resolved that it would pay all its workers’ December salaries before Christmas and then stagger the bonuses for those who are yet to get them,” said Minister Mupfumira.

“Half of the workers will get their bonuses at the end of December, while the rest will get theirs at the end of January next year. I want to appeal to the workers to bear with the Government. I also want to assure them that they will definitely get their bonuses.”

The bonuses were initially staggered between November and December, with the uniformed forces receiving their 13th cheques last month.

Apex Council president Richard Gundane said Government workers were not aware of the development: “We’re disturbed by the development as it is the latest in a chapter of promises that have not been met. Colleagues in the uniformed forces received their bonuses last month and we thought it was only fair for the rest of the civil servants to get theirs as promised by the Government,” said Gundane.