Civil servants’ bonus dates released

By Thandeka Moyo

Government has finally released the long-awaited dates on which civil servants will receive their 2017 bonuses, with the payments to be made between next month and June. Civil servants will receive their bonuses on the same days that they will be paid their monthly salaries.

First to be paid will be members of the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe and the health sector in March.

Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services officers will get theirs in April.

Teachers and everyone working under the education sector will receive their 13th cheque in May while the rest of the civil servants will be paid in June this year.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said Treasury will advise on the specific payment dates for the respective months.

“You will recall that through his 2018 National Budget Statement, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Economic Development (Cde Patrick Chinamasa) made a commitment to pay the 2017 13th cheque on a staggered basis, guided by revenue inflows as well as taking account of cash flow requirements of other national programmes such as the general elections,” reads the statement.

“Accordingly, Honourable Chinamasa wishes to advise the 2017 13th cheque payment dates as follows: The Zimbabwe National Army and the Air Force of Zimbabwe will receive theirs in March, followed by the police and prisons in April. The education sector will receive theirs in May and the rest of civil servants in June.”Last year, Cde Chinamasa assured civil servants that they would be paid their 2017 bonuses, saying $176 million had been set aside for that.

He is on record as saying the Government is trying to reduce the wage bill through the rationalisation of the civil service and abolition of some posts. The Chronicle