Civil servants to get December salaries earlier

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has released civil servants pay dates for this month with all sectors expected to receive their salaries before Christmas, a departure from the previous years.

Pensioners will also get their salaries before Christmas.

Previously, some civil servants were paid after Christmas.

In a circular, Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary, Mr George Guvamatanga, advised chairpersons of commissions in the Public Service Commission of the pay dates for public servants and pensioners for the month of December.

Those in the Zimbabwe National Army, Airforce and the Health sector will receive their salaries today while the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services and the Zimbabwe Republic Police will receive their salaries this Friday.

Those in the education sector will receive their salaries on December 18 while the rest of the civil servants will be paid on 21 December.

Pensioners will be the last group to receive their salaries on December 24. “Wage Bill payments for the month of January will be communicated in due course taking account of revenue flows,” said Mr Guvamatanga.

Apex council secretary general Mr David Dzatsunga commended Government for paying them salaries before Christmas.

“It’s actually an improvement as far as we are concerned at least a return to best practice when it comes to December paydays. If you remember traditionally people always got their December salary before Christmas so that they are able to prepare for the festivities.

“For us now the downside is that our buying power has been eroded by the hyper inflationary environment so the cheer that this measure is supposed to bring is dampened by fact that there is no real deal about whether people are going to enjoy it,” said Mr Dzatsunga.

Government last month paid civil servants their 2018 bonuses which was again a departure from previous years when payments were staggered, with the last 13th cheque being paid in the middle of the following year.

– @AuxiliaK