News / National
Mnangagwa's govt faces lawsuit over delayed salaries
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Government workers, including teachers, have turned to lawyers in an attempt to understand why they have not received the local currency component of their November pay and bonus, almost two weeks after the designated payday. Reports indicate that while members of the military, police, and other security services received their full payments, many civil servants remain in the dark regarding their salaries.
Teachers' unions have expressed frustration over the issue, with several unions writing to the government last week, demanding an explanation for the delay. Despite their efforts, authorities are said to have remained silent on the matter.
According to reports, some teachers confirmed receiving their salaries late on Friday, but others are still unsure when they will receive their full payments, including the 13th cheque (bonus). The situation has caused significant distress among government employees, particularly in the education sector, where the delay has led to growing discontent.
David Dzatsunga, Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), confirmed to NewsDay on Saturday that the unions had engaged the government but had received no response. He added that they had now enlisted the help of lawyers to push for an explanation.
"We have not received any feedback from government. We have since engaged our lawyers to act on our behalf and find answers from government as to why it failed to fund the payroll," Dzatsunga said.
In a letter dated November 22, 2024, addressed to the Public Service Commission, ZCPSTU president Cecelia Alexander raised concerns that the government had failed to honour the recent National Joint Negotiating Council agreement regarding salaries and bonuses. The letter highlighted that several banks had informed union members that they had yet to receive their November payments.
"This has caused a lot of anger in the workforce, and hence our request for a statement from the employer to explain the unprecedented anomaly," the letter read.
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) also voiced its concerns, writing to Public Service Minister July Moyo and Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube. PTUZ Secretary-General Raymond Majongwe expressed that tensions in schools were high as teachers experienced unexpected delays in accessing their salaries.
"Some teachers even travelled intending to access their salaries and got the shock of their lives as they failed to get anything from their banks," Majongwe said. He added that the government needed to clarify how it would compensate teachers for the devaluation of their salaries due to the two-week delay.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has also criticized the government, accusing it of failing to recognize the value of educators. Zimta President Akuneni Maphosa emphasized that the lack of transparency in handling salary payments was causing frustration and uncertainty among teachers.
"This lack of transparency exacerbates feelings of frustration and uncertainty about future payments. This reminds all employees of the dark period of 2008," Maphosa said, referencing the country's previous economic hardships.
Efforts by NewsDay to obtain comment from the Ministry of Finance were unsuccessful, as the ministry's spokesperson, Pretty Moyo, was unavailable, and Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa did not respond to calls. Both Public Service Minister Moyo and Ministry Secretary Simon Masanga's phones were also unreachable.
The Finance Ministry had previously warned line ministries of impending spending cuts due to budgetary constraints. In his 2025 budget presentation, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube outlined plans to introduce a new basket of taxes to help raise resources for government expenditure. However, critics argue that the government should focus on cutting wasteful spending, such as purchasing high-end vehicles for top officials, rather than placing the burden on civil servants.
Critics also questioned the government's priorities, suggesting that it was misdirecting resources rather than addressing the pressing concerns of its workers.
Teachers' unions have expressed frustration over the issue, with several unions writing to the government last week, demanding an explanation for the delay. Despite their efforts, authorities are said to have remained silent on the matter.
According to reports, some teachers confirmed receiving their salaries late on Friday, but others are still unsure when they will receive their full payments, including the 13th cheque (bonus). The situation has caused significant distress among government employees, particularly in the education sector, where the delay has led to growing discontent.
David Dzatsunga, Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), confirmed to NewsDay on Saturday that the unions had engaged the government but had received no response. He added that they had now enlisted the help of lawyers to push for an explanation.
"We have not received any feedback from government. We have since engaged our lawyers to act on our behalf and find answers from government as to why it failed to fund the payroll," Dzatsunga said.
In a letter dated November 22, 2024, addressed to the Public Service Commission, ZCPSTU president Cecelia Alexander raised concerns that the government had failed to honour the recent National Joint Negotiating Council agreement regarding salaries and bonuses. The letter highlighted that several banks had informed union members that they had yet to receive their November payments.
"This has caused a lot of anger in the workforce, and hence our request for a statement from the employer to explain the unprecedented anomaly," the letter read.
"Some teachers even travelled intending to access their salaries and got the shock of their lives as they failed to get anything from their banks," Majongwe said. He added that the government needed to clarify how it would compensate teachers for the devaluation of their salaries due to the two-week delay.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has also criticized the government, accusing it of failing to recognize the value of educators. Zimta President Akuneni Maphosa emphasized that the lack of transparency in handling salary payments was causing frustration and uncertainty among teachers.
"This lack of transparency exacerbates feelings of frustration and uncertainty about future payments. This reminds all employees of the dark period of 2008," Maphosa said, referencing the country's previous economic hardships.
Efforts by NewsDay to obtain comment from the Ministry of Finance were unsuccessful, as the ministry's spokesperson, Pretty Moyo, was unavailable, and Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa did not respond to calls. Both Public Service Minister Moyo and Ministry Secretary Simon Masanga's phones were also unreachable.
The Finance Ministry had previously warned line ministries of impending spending cuts due to budgetary constraints. In his 2025 budget presentation, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube outlined plans to introduce a new basket of taxes to help raise resources for government expenditure. However, critics argue that the government should focus on cutting wasteful spending, such as purchasing high-end vehicles for top officials, rather than placing the burden on civil servants.
Critics also questioned the government's priorities, suggesting that it was misdirecting resources rather than addressing the pressing concerns of its workers.
Source - newsday
