Cabinet approves civil service cut

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday hinted that government would drastically reduce the civil service, as it seeks to save $170 million a year, saying this had been approved by the Cabinet.

Presenting the $4 billion 2016 National Budget in Parliament, Chinamasa said rationalization of the civil service would save $14,2 million per month.

The Finance minister did not say whether civil servants would get their annual bonuses.

Chinamasa said the civil service numbers had been ballooning and grew by 35,8% from 203 362 in February 2009 to 276 163 by December 2014.