Mugabe's 'false' salary increment promises implored

Civil servants have implored President Robert Mugabe to walk the talk and stop making false salary increment promises.
Mugabe, in an interview to mark his 90th birthday, said he was committed to ensuring that civil servants get decent salaries.
The president further said he told Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to pull up his socks when he appeared to be dragging his feet on awarding civil servants salaries pegged to the poverty datum line, currently at $511.
However, civil servants have said Mugabe's remarks were mere rhetoric.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Raymond Majongwe, said Mugabe should stop making false promises.
"This is a tired song," Majongwe told the Daily News. 
"We heard it during the campaign trail and we heard it after elections but on the ground nothing is happening.
"As civil servants we are not convinced that his words will translate into action. We are tired of promises which never come to fruition.
"They promised a salary increment for February but nothing came.
"Chinamasa is saying it will come in April because government does not have money. I personally asked him where will he get the money in April.
"Money does not grow on trees. It is high time the government sobers up and starts scaling avenues to look for money.
"We can engage the international community so as to attract (foreign direct ) investment. Also the government should curb corruption by employing competent and professional people."
Majongwe alleged some trade unions were responsible for the plight bedevilling civil servants.
"Some of us are dancing and going to bed with the government that makes false promises," he said.
"The net effect is that we the civil servants will end up pregnant. The government will take advantage of us, making false promises. I urge those dancing and sleeping with the government to stop doing that because it is not in the best interest of the people. As civil servants we must fight for better salaries."
Government and civil servants last month signed a pay deal that will see the least paid government worker getting a $79 salary increment.
This would have seen the lowest paid government employee (Grade B1) getting $375 up from $297, a month."However, the government backtracked on the increment this month saying there is no money.
Sifiso Ndlovu, Zimbabwe Teachers' Association chief executive officer, said the government should start delivering.
"The promise of salary increment by His Excellency has been consistent and steadfast.
"We as the civil servants are now waiting for action. Only when action is taken will our anxiety and hope turn into trust," Ndlovu said.
"But the president has shown us that there is political will to change our plight and what is left is to implement strategies that will see us get salary increments. Chinamasa explained to us the strategies that he will use to look for money. So we are now waiting for him to deliver and when he delivers we will have full trust in the government."