Zimpapers Logo

Mrs Pretty Sunguro

Felex Share Senior Reporter—

Government has expanded the civil servants’ residential stands scheme to incorporate all its workers, including those who are not members of the staff associations that brokered the project.Initially, 100 000 civil servants were targeted to get residential stands from the scheme as part of Government’s efforts to give its workers non-monetary incentives.

The number is expected to balloon following the move by Government to take on board every civil servant.

Read more:

• Civil servants demand stands
• 100 000 stands for civil servants
• Civil servants’ home scheme gathers pace
• Civil servants housing scheme commendable

Civil servants under the Apex Council will today submit their names to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, while names for those outside the staff associations will be submitted by the Civil Service Commission.

Civil Service Commission secretary, Mrs Pretty Sunguro has since directed all heads of ministries to compile lists for civil servants interested in the project.

The deadline for the submission of the names was last Friday.

“The secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing advised that the ministry held a meeting with members of the Apex Council with the objective of securing residential stands for their members, and the Staff Associations are currently compiling lists of potential beneficiaries,” reads Mrs Sunguro’s letter dated November 4, 2016.

“It was however, observed that some civil servants are not members of the respective staff associations and would therefore not be included on the list. In view of the above, the commission is requesting heads of ministries to submit details of members who wish to be included in the scheme with the following information; name and EC number, designation, department, age, residential area preference, city/town and contact details, including phone number.”

Added Mrs Sunguro: “It would be greatly appreciated if the lists could be submitted to the Commission by 11 November 2016 for onward transmission to the secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.”

Heads of ministries have since communicated the information in various provinces.

After submission of names today, Government and civil servants are expected to work on the implementation matrix.

The lists would assist Government in allocating land in various cities and towns.

Housing delivery is one of the key goals of Zim-Asset and Government intends to provide 300 000 units to the people by 2018.

Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander yesterday said: “We are meeting today (yesterday) to consolidate our lists ahead of tomorrow’s meeting where we will submit the names.

“The list of names will be accompanied by a summary of the total number of intended beneficiaries submitted in each preferred area and further breakdown of the required density that is; high, medium or low density. The response is overwhelming, a clear sign that every worker is in need of housing stands.”

The specific housing scheme will go a long way in cushioning civil servants who have seen many schemes being established in their names, but benefited outsiders and political bigwigs.

This has resulted in many Government workers being duped by land barons.

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said Government should ensure that no bigwig benefited from the scheme.

“We have initiated this project and now it is including everyone and we don’t want to be disempowered and forgotten about,” he said.

“There are bigwigs and directors who have benefited from other projects before who must not come in and spoil things for the people who do not have anything.

“We don’t want to see anyone who runs an office benefiting. When the process now includes the Civil Service Commission, we suspect bigwigs will end up getting priority, but then we warn them that we will not fold our hands as we are prepared to take the matter with President Mugabe. We know the President is aware of the project and would want to see ordinary people benefiting.”

Apart from housing issues, Government has been regularly informing the workers on the ongoing rationalisation exercise, shift in pay dates, impending introduction of bond notes as well as pension and medical aid benefits.