Govt Reviews Civil Servants' Salaries

Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube has reviewed the salaries of civil servants by converting COVID-19 and Cushioning allowances to a pensionable salary.

Announcing the 2024 National Budget in Parliament on Thursday, 30 November Ncube said the US$300 allowances will be converted to pensionable emoluments with effect from January 2024. He said:

Mr Speaker Sir, as part of the remuneration review process for civil servants, Government will convert the current COVID and Cushioning allowances, aggregating to US$300, to be part of the pensionable emoluments across the board, effective January 2024.

The Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) has welcomed the move by the Government by called for an increase of the USD salaries.

ZIMTA chief executive officer Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said the move by the government was commendable. Said Ndlovu:

The Minister (Ncube) has reviewed the salaries by converting COVID-19 allowance to a pensionable salary and that is what we had recommended.

That is very welcome but the quantum must be reviewed upwards because US$300 is below what we have been lobbying for, which is US$800.

He said teachers were middle-income earners and “they must earn a minimum of US$800 per month”. Said Ndlovu:

At least for now, we applaud the thinking that salaries will be paid in United States dollars. Some can get a pension in USD.

Meanwhile, Ncube proposed to raise the salary tax-free threshold to ZW$750 000 up from ZW$75 000 per month with effect from 1 January 2024 and the bonus tax-free amount to ZW$7.5 million up from ZW$500 000 with effect from 1 November 2023.

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