Civil servants who don't meet professional standards don't deserve a decent salary

It is a tragedy that some people have come to regard a salary as an entitlement rather than a reward for proven competence.

Today, after days of anguish, I finally managed to secure my late mother's death certificate. 

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Yet the journey to this seemingly simple achievement was neither easy nor humane. 

It was as if some within the death registry were determined to deepen my grief, prolonging my torment at a time when I was already shattered by the loss of my beloved mother. 

Their attitude was not only indifferent - it was cruel. 

In moments of vulnerability, when citizens like myself are emotionally fragile and seeking closure, the last thing anyone expects is to encounter heartlessness and arrogance from those entrusted to serve.

But this experience, as painful as it was, also opened my eyes to a deeper truth. 

Not every civil servant is indifferent or incompetent. 

Amid the inefficiency and apathy, there are still phenomenal men and women in public service - those who carry themselves with dignity, empathy, and professionalism. 

When I returned to the Gweru Births and Deaths Registry Office today, I met such people. 

The lady who served me this time was everything a public servant should be: kind, respectful, efficient, and genuinely committed to helping me resolve my issue. 

She treated me not as a nuisance, but as a fellow human being deserving of compassion and fair service. 

Her warmth and competence reminded me that the civil service can indeed be a noble calling - when performed by those who care about their work and the people they serve.

However, for every exceptional civil servant like her, there are many others who are the complete opposite - those who clearly have no passion for their job, no respect for the public, and no understanding of the ethical responsibility that comes with public service. 

These are the individuals who contaminate the entire system and tarnish the reputation of all civil servants. 

They are the ones who make dealing with government offices a nightmare for ordinary citizens.

In my case, the issue revolved around a simple clerical inconsistency. 

My late mother's name appeared as "Anna Mbiriri" on my birth certificate, yet her own birth certificate stated "Anastasia Mbiriri." 

Any reasonable person could have easily seen this for what it was: an obvious clerical error, likely originating from the same registry department years ago. 

Yet when I tried to explain this, the official I encountered refused to even listen. 

She dismissed me coldly, without offering the slightest guidance or empathy. 

Her attitude was not one of professionalism, but of disdain - as if helping me was beneath her or as if I were trying to commit some fraudulent act.

What struck me most was the total lack of initiative and accountability. 

This official didn't even bother to suggest possible remedies or procedures that could help resolve the matter. 

She simply wanted me gone, as though my very presence inconvenienced her day. 

It was only after I consulted ChatGPT - an artificial intelligence tool - that I managed to find a solution. 

Following its advice, I prepared an affidavit confirming that Anastasia Mbiriri and Anna Mbiriri were one and the same person, attached my mother's will - which clearly identifies her as Anastasia and names me, Tendai Ruben Mbofana, as her only child and sole beneficiary - and submitted these documents alongside the application.

This time, I was referred to another office, where the experience was entirely different.

Everything went smoothly. 

The staff were professional, empathetic, and efficient. 

Within a short time, I finally received my mother's death certificate. 

As I walked away from the office, relief and gratitude washed over me - not just because I had achieved what I set out to do, but because I had witnessed both the best and worst of Zimbabwe's civil service in the span of two days.

And this contrast got me thinking: why should civil servants who fail to meet basic professional and ethical standards continue to enjoy the same salaries and benefits as those who perform with excellence? 

Why should taxpayers' money go toward rewarding incompetence, arrogance, and laziness? 

A decent salary should be earned, not automatically guaranteed simply because one holds a government position.

It is time Zimbabwe overhauled its civil service structure to link pay to performance, accountability, and public satisfaction. 

A performance-based remuneration system - one that incorporates citizens' feedback - would not only motivate excellence but also weed out the deadwood that continues to drag the system down. 

Civil servants must be evaluated not merely on the number of hours they clock in, but on the quality of service they deliver, their adherence to ethics, and their responsiveness to the needs of the public.

Imagine if every citizen who interacts with a government office could rate the service they receive, much like private businesses do with customer satisfaction surveys. 

Officials who consistently receive poor ratings due to rudeness, incompetence, or negligence should face real consequences - salary reductions, retraining, or dismissal. 

On the other hand, those who demonstrate exceptional service, like the lady who assisted me today, should be rewarded with bonuses, recognition, and career advancement opportunities. 

That is how we build a culture of accountability and excellence in our public institutions.

Public service is not just another job; it is a vocation that requires integrity, empathy, and commitment. 

Civil servants are the face of government. 

They are the ones citizens interact with daily when seeking essential documents such as IDs, passports, birth or death certificates. 

How they conduct themselves determines whether citizens trust or resent their government. 

When a bereaved person walks into a registry office, they are not just filling out forms - they are seeking closure and dignity for their loved ones. 

When they are treated with hostility or indifference, it adds to their pain and breeds resentment toward the very state that should be protecting them.

The time has come to say enough is enough. 

Zimbabwe cannot continue to tolerate unprofessionalism in public offices. 

It is not enough to simply call for better pay for civil servants - as unions and government officials often do - without first demanding that the same workers demonstrate excellence, dedication, and respect for the citizens they serve. 

A decent salary must be earned through decent work.

The true measure of a civil servant's worth lies not in how long they have been employed, but in how they treat the people who depend on their service. 

The woman who coldly turned me away yesterday does not deserve the same salary as the woman who helped me with compassion and professionalism today. 

One was a liability to the system; the other was its shining example.

Our civil service must be rebuilt around merit, ethics, and performance. 

Only then will we restore the public's faith in government institutions. 

Only then will civil servants be worthy of the respect - and the decent salaries - they demand. 

Because, in truth, professionalism should never be optional for those who serve the nation. 

It should be the very foundation of their work.

© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/