Zimpapers Logo

Herald Reporter
The Public Service Commission has reportedly begun an audit of police officers in Harare Province to get rid of ghost workers.

Police sources said an order was issued last week that officers should be present at their respective work stations, ready for the head count.

“It has also been ordered that those on maternity leave, vacation leave and occasion leave or any other time off or night duty be present starting from Monday this week so that they will be counted,” said a source.

It was reported that some of the PSC officials had by yesterday conducted the process at Mbare Police Station, Southerton Police Station, Borrowdale Police Station and Highlands Police Station.

The sources said officers at other stations were preparing for the audit.

In an interview, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Tapiwa Matangaidze yesterday denied the reports that they were conducting such an exercise.

“That is not correct and there is no Government policy on that directive,” he said.

But events on the ground indicated yesterday that police officers have been recalled to their stations for the head count.

Last month, Cabinet approved the civil service audit, heralding a new chapter in the public sector through the implementation of measures such as reduction of student teachers and trainees’ allowances, termination of any salaries still paid for teachers at trust and private schools and resuscitation of pension contributions by civil servants.

Some of the changes, meant to reduce the Government wage bill and steer economic growth, were with immediate effect.

All vacant posts have been abolished, bus fare for civil servants has been re-introduced, under-used staff is being redeployed, funding of bridging courses has been scrapped, while all members who were abusing various types of leave, tampering with pay sheets and attendance registers have been charged.

Reports indicated that the audit would be done in other sectors of the civil service like the Judicial Service Commission, Defence Forces Service Commission, Police Service Commission, Prisons and Correctional Service Commission and the Heath Services Board.