adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
STATE university lecturers have not yet received their May salaries while the payment of their 2015 bonuses has been postponed indefinitely. In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary, Mr Willard Manungo, said the payment of bonuses for university staff would be advised in due course, while salaries would be paid today.
The government staggered the payment of bonuses for civil servants and staff at state universities were expected to be paid at the end of last month. “As previously advised, Treasury had proposed to support payment of the 2015 bonus for state university staff and May 2016 salaries on June 10 and 13, 2016 respectively.
“To allow for mobilisation of requisite resources, Treasury advises that the 2016 salary payment date is being moved from June 13 to June 17, 2016. The payment date for the 2015 bonus commitment will be advised in due course,” said Mr Manungo.
The government decided to stagger the payment of bonuses due to cash flow challenges. Last year, the Minister of Finance, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, contemplated suspending the payment of bonuses, a move that proved to be unpopular. President Mugabe then said civil servants deserved the payments saying “when government bestows a benefit on civil servants, that benefit cannot be withdrawn because it has become a right”.
At least 83 percent of government revenue is gobbled by salaries and the government has come up with a number of strategies to reduce the wage bill and is rationalising the civil service following an audit carried out last year by the Public Service Commission.
derick.khumalo