Zim forced into paying govt workers bonuses

Harare - The Zimbabwean government has reportedly given in to the demands of civil servants to pay them cash bonuses for the year 2016.

This was revealed in a video clip posted on Twitter by one of the civil servants’ representatives, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general, Raymond Majongwe.

"The issue that we have been clamouring for, which is the cash payment for the bonuses, has been accepted," said Majongwe in the video.

The bonuses will however be paid over five months, with Majongwe saying soldiers and those in the health sector will get their bonuses in April.

"The police and the prison officers will get theirs in May, education sector in June while the rest of the civil servants will get theirs in August," said Majongwe.

The Zimbabwean government has been reluctant to pay annual civil servants bonuses as it is struggling with a ballooning budget deficit.

Analysts said the unbudgeted expenditure towards payment of bonuses will further exert pressure on employment costs and continue to pose challenges on the national budget.

In not paying bonuses, government was expecting to save at least $140m.

“The anticipated lower provision on employment costs by an estimated $140m is reflective of financial savings arising from the implementation of the Public Service Wage Bill rationalisation measures,” said the 2017 National Budget.