Civil servants get their bonus

It was a case of smiling all the way to the bank yesterday as some civil servants started receiving their bonuses with those in the education sector expected to get their 13th cheque next month.

Members of the Zimbabwe National Army started withdrawing their bonuses yesterday and other members of the uniformed forces would get theirs on their pay date on November 26.

The bonus was calculated using the existing taxation rates due to delays in the announcement of the 2014 National Budget. Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that the delays would allow for wider consultations.

The National Budget sets the tax threshold on bonuses and many companies only proceed with bonus payment after the tax-free threshold is announced in the Budget Statement.

Junior members of the ZNA who earn an average of US$400 had over US$800 deposited into their accounts for this month. Soldiers formed long queues at most Harare banks as they rushed to withdraw their windfall.

“Yes, we received our bonuses today (yesterday). We were given double our salaries,” said a senior army officer who declined to be named.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday confirmed the development and said that those in the education sector would get theirs bonus next month.

He applauded Government for sticking to its promise.

“When we checked with authorities, they told us that we, in the education sector, would get ours (bonuses) next month as has been the case in the last few years,” he said.

“Soldiers and other uniformed forces will get theirs this month, which they have started to do and the fact that they have been paid means that we are now certain that the money is coming. If they had not been paid then we would have been worried.”

Added Mr Ndlovu: “Minister Chinamasa made it clear in Victoria Falls that we would start accessing our bonuses this month and we are happy Government has stuck to its promise. Our focus, however, is mainly on the National Budget as we are expecting salaries that are in line with the Poverty Datum Line.”

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said teachers were expecting to get their bonuses in December.

“I’m told soldiers received their bonuses today (yesterday). As for teachers, we usually receive ours in December, which is when we are expecting them,” Majongwe said.

Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo applauded the government for honouring its pre-election pledge on bonuses.

“We are more than excited because this is the period we have been waiting for. We wish to applaud the government for respecting the tradition of paying bonuses. We are, however, not sure if they have added a token of appreciation as the (Public Service) minister (Nicholas Goche) and Civil Service Commission chairperson Mariyawanda Nzuwah said when we met them just after the minister’s appointment,” Nyawo said.

Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association secretary-general Simangaliso Mafa, however, said there was nothing out of the ordinary as it was routine that they would get their bonuses at the end of year.

“It’s not negotiable because we know bonuses are always paid. We received them last year, the year before, we have always been receiving bonuses,” Mafa said.