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system into turmoil over the past four days as negotiations continue.
Magistrates went on strike on Monday protesting poor salaries and working conditions.
The strike ended yesterday after Government agreed to review public service salaries in June with the least paid worker expected to get double the US$128 they are currently earning.
After a three-hour meeting at State House in Harare between President Mugabe and representatives of civil servants’ unions, the latter said Cde Mugabe had said the lowest earner could expect about half the present poverty datum line (PDL). The PDL currently stands at US$502.
Yesterday the negotiating teams, which included the Judicial Services Commission, the Chief Magistrate, and the Magistrates Association of Zimbabwe met and agreed that magistrates should report for work as soon as possible.
A series of meetings have been going on since Tuesday and yesterday the parties issued a joint statement urging the judicial officers to report for work today.
The parties said they were concerned by the plight of the public that was disadvantaged by the strike.
“Negotiations between the JSC and the MAZ are continuing. We wish to notify the nation that magistrates, being judicial officers, remain deeply touched by the plight of the general public who have been prejudiced by the impasse between us. Taking this into consideration, the MAZ, the chief magistrate’s office and the JSC are urging all magistrates to return to work while negotiations continue,” read the statement.
Since Monday suspects arrested by police were not going to court.
Constitutionally, police can only hold suspects for 48 hours before bringing them to court.
The strike resulted in congestion in holding cells and Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa on Wednesday said the available option was to take suspects to facilities such as Chikurubi.
MAZ secretary general Mr Munamato Mutevedzi said they were in the process of informing other members of their association.
He, however, refused to divulge information with regards to what will happen to defaulters.
“I cannot pre-empt the procedures that will be taken after they fail to report for duty. All I can say is that negotiations are continuing since we have not reached a conclusion,” he said.
The JSC deputy secretary Mr Rex Shana said that they would engage various stakeholders, including Treasury, to assist them.
Magistrates earn between US$206 and US$300 monthly and are demanding a minimum salary of US$600 for trainees. When they first threatened to strike early this year, the officers proposed a salary of US$1 000 for junior magistrates, US$ 1500 for seniors, US$2 000 for senior provincial magistrates, and US$2 500 for regional magistrates.
Senior regional magistrates and the deputy chief magistrate want US$3 000 while the chief magistrate’s salary should be US$3 300. Court interpreters earn between US$147 and US$163 while a clerk of court earns around US$156.
Online Reporter