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saying she is in contempt of ongoing negotiations between the Government and civil service unions.
In interviews, teachers’ representatives accused Minister Matibenga of attempting score “cheap politics” using civil service salary negotiations.
Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, (PTUZ) secretary-general, Mr Raymond Majongwe said the remarks by Ms Matibenga could result in the collapse of negotiations and provoke teachers to strike.
“The pronouncement by Minister Matibenga at her party rally in Gweru that there is no money to improve civil servants’ salaries came as a shock. It’s also a shame on the minister because the pronouncement itself at a political party rally was a direct contempt of what we have agreed as the negotiation council. We made it clear that no agreements between government and the civil service unions would be pronounced at political party rallies solely because the issues to do with the civil servants welfare have nothing to do with politics.
“But someone who wants to score cheap politics goes on and make those pronouncements at political rallies. It’s a shame,” he said.
Mr Majongwe attacked Minister Matibenga and branded her a “novice” in the way she handles Government duties.
“To us, Minister Matibenga is still green and is yet to be advised on how Government issues differ from that of trying to win votes at a political rally. She is still new in the ministry and there is nothing she can decide before she consults and to say there is no money to improve the peanuts that we as teachers are getting was ill-advised,” he said.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta), chief executive officer, Mr Sifiso Ndlovu accused ministers of awarding themselves hefty salaries and allowances at the expense of civil servants.
“What is disturbing is that Minister Matibenga, her counterpart, Minister of Finance, (Tendai) Biti talk of empty coffers when we as civil servants’ representatives talk of teachers’ poverty. They forget that they always award themselves hefty salaries and allowances, driving in fancy vehicles after getting money from the same Government coffers. It’s shocking,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said ministers were concerned about furthering their political careers and personal welfare while condemning the civil servants to poverty.
“What we believe as Zimta is that political ambitions and greediness on the part of these ministers in the so-called Inclusive Government has overridden the core values that make our country move forward. Today’s crop of ministers is so ignorant and have exhibited highly capitalistic minds to the effect that civil servants have been condemned to poverty while no one seems to care,” fumed Mr Ndlovu.
Minister Matibenga told an MDC-T party gathering in Gweru last week that there was no room for civil servants salary increment anytime soon, arguing that Treasury had no money.
She hinted then that her ministry was working on establishing a civil service mining concern to try and harness funds to end the civil servants salary woes.
Online Reporter