Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
THE Public Service Commission has begun steps to digitise and automate its services to eliminate bottlenecks, human error and delays caused by paperwork, in a move expected to greatly improve the operational efficiency of this key arm of State.
This was said by Pensions Master, Mr Kudakwashe Makiwa during a capacity-building training for human resources personnel from ministries, departments and agencies held at Rowa Training Centre on the outskirts of Mutare early this week.
He emphasised that the Government prioritises the welfare of its employees and retirees through timeous payment of their benefits.
The outreach programme, which is being held nationwide, provided an opportunity to educate Government employees on Statutory Instrument 197 of 2024, which extends the retirement age to 70 years, while addressing misinformation surrounding the new provisions.
The PSC also sensitised human resources staff on developments such as the e-Payslip system and other Government initiatives aimed at improving service delivery and employee welfare.
“Guided by the values of communication, collaboration, and care, we are strengthening the credibility of information, widening access and ensuring that every Zimbabwean is, not just served, but empowered to engage, to understand and to benefit. The responsibility of planning for retirement falls squarely on civil servants, yet a significant knowledge gap persists regarding pension rules and benefits.
“This lack of information creates major operational hurdles for pensions, payroll and human resources departments, which are constantly overwhelmed by incomplete or inaccurate applications forwarded to the head office. This campaign is vital to bridging that gap, with the core mission of raising awareness about retirement planning and ensuring employees fully understand what they are entitled to.
“This campaign is deeply rooted in the National Development Strategy (NDS2) and its core pillars of inclusive economic growth, strong social safety nets and sound governance. By tackling bottlenecks in pension and payroll systems, we are directly fulfilling NDS2’s promises to enhance service delivery and protect vulnerable groups, particularly the retirees. A key driver of this effort is digital to streamline administrative processes and reinforce accountability. The PSC is proud to lead the modernisation of our public administration, leveraging innovations like GovPay to deliver the world-class service our nation deserves,” said Mr Makiwa.
A human resources officer in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Mus Tawanda, said the training came at the right time as the Government digitises its systems and expedites pension pay-outs to outgoing employees.
“Interventions such as e-Government will help to improve service delivery, efficiency and have faster systems. We will cascade the information downwards to every civil servant in the ministry. We have been advised to get loans being offered by the government at very affordable rates rather than engaging loan sharks who fleece us,” he said.
Mr Tawanda Fidze, the principal human resources officer in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development based at the provincial office, said: “We have been equipped with modern processes that the government aim to introduce in terms of service delivery improvement. When we get back we will be better officers in terms of the knowledge and will be able to provide flawless services to the clients.”
