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Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Senior Reporter
THE Government has started paying civil servants their 2017 bonuses with members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe receiving their 13th cheque last week while those in the health sector will smile to the bank on Wednesday. The bonuses were paid together with the March salaries. Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander confirmed the payment of the bonuses yesterday.
The Apex Council is the umbrella body for civil servants organisations in salary negotiations. Mrs Alexander thanked the Government for honouring its commitment to pay the bonuses.
“We are very thankful that Government has paid bonuses. Although we expected the first payments to be done in February, we still appreciate it. We hope the employer will stick to the dates that were given to all the other sectors that are yet to be paid,” she said.
Mrs Alexander said going forward, civil servants were hoping that the Government will pay them their bonuses on time.
Soldiers who spoke to Sunday News yesterday confirmed the payments reflected in their accounts on Friday.
“The money reflected in our accounts yesterday together with our salary and we were able to access it immediately,” said a soldier who requested anonymity.
The Government last month released the dates which civil servants would receive their bonuses. Officers in the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services will get their bonuses in April.
Teachers and everyone working under the education sector will receive theirs in May, while the rest of the civil servants will be paid in June this year.
Last year, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa assured civil servants that they would be paid their 2017 bonuses, saying $176 million had been set aside for that.
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