Mthuli Ncube just the same as Chidzero

Zimbabwe Communist Party secretary genral Ngqabutho Mabhena has said Zimbabwe's Minister of Finance Prof Mthuli Ncube, is no different from the late Minister of Finance Dr Bernard Chidzero

He said the nation  went through pain in 1991 when Dr Chidzero introduced Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) and it is are once again going through economic pain thanks to Prof Mthuli Ncube and the reactionary former liberation movement ZANU (PF).

"Unfortunately, the MDC Alliance offers no alternative, it is competing with ZANU (PF) on a neo liberal agenda. The only alternative lies in the unity of the working class and peasants under the leadership of its vanguard," he said.

he made reference to Ncube's presentation that,

*Civil servants to be retrenched – Finance Minister*

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has presented his eagerly anticipated policy statement and has announced a raft of cost-cutting measures including retrenchment of civil servants.

Measures will include:

- Cutting down on travel expenses
- Cutting down vehicle purchases
- Reduction of MP allowances
- Closing some foreign missions
- State-owned enterprises to be sold
- AIPPA and POSA to be repealed

Civil servant wages currently account for 90% of all government expenditure while government is the largest buyer of new vehicles (about $200 million).

Ncube described his 2% money transfer as "necessary pain" but said it might be "fine-tuned" in the next budget. The fine-tuned caveat suggests he may be trying to create political room to backpedal to the rumoured 0.5% position.