Govt workers stage a flash protest at Mthuli Ncube's office

Civil servants staged a flash protest yesterday at the New Government Complex before marching to the offices of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion in Harare, pressing Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to prioritise salary increments in the forthcoming mid-term budget statement.

The protest was organised by the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), an umbrella body representing civil servants across various sectors. Workers voiced frustration over going six months without any salary review, a delay that has severely eroded their earnings amid soaring inflation.

Among the unions represented were the Zimbabwe Teachers Union, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, and the Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads, among others.

The protesters highlighted the devastating impact of inflation, noting that Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate climbed to 92.5% in June, up from 92.1% in May, drastically reducing the purchasing power of civil servants.

ZCPSTU secretary-general David Dzatsunga said the delegation had hoped to meet directly with Minister Ncube, but he was reportedly away on official business. Instead, they held discussions with his deputy, Kudakwashe Mnangagwa.

During the meeting, the union representatives conveyed civil servants' deep dissatisfaction with the prolonged salary stagnation and urged for an urgent and meaningful salary adjustment in the mid-term fiscal policy review.

"We wanted to deliver our plea to the government that the midterm budget should include a cost-of-living adjustment," Dzatsunga explained. "We believe we received the audience we sought and presented our case. We hope this will lead to positive outcomes and that the government will seriously consider our demands."

He cautioned that while the meeting was a positive step, success was not guaranteed. "We cannot say we have succeeded, but we are hopeful. We do not want a repeat of last year when there was no provision for a salary increment. Relevant government bodies — including the Ministry of Labour, Public Service Commission, and Treasury — are seized with the matter, and we await their response."

Dzatsunga also revealed that civil servants had submitted a written statement outlining their grievances and expectations ahead of the budget review. The statement stressed the inadequacy of current wages to meet basic living needs and called on the government to factor civil servants' welfare into budgetary provisions.

The statement also expressed concern about the slow pace of the government's ongoing job evaluation exercise, which civil servants claim has been used as a pretext to delay salary adjustments.

"Though we were consulted minimally at a later stage, we feel a lot needs to be done regarding the job evaluation process. Meanwhile, no cost-of-living adjustment has been granted for six months on the basis that it would be effected after the completion of the exercise," the statement read.

Civil servants also noted that US$32 million remains idle, earmarked for this cause, and urged the government to channel these funds towards their remuneration as the job evaluation process continues.

Civil servants have repeatedly sought government engagement over salary reviews, but talks under the National Joint Negotiating Council have often stalled due to disagreements between workers and government representatives.

As Zimbabwe's inflationary pressures mount, civil servants' demands for salary increments grow more urgent, with the mid-term budget review now viewed as a critical juncture for addressing their plight.