Struggling Zimbabwe plans to cut 25,000 government jobs

Zimbabwe plans to cut 25,000 government jobs as it struggles to pay its workers amid a plummeting economy that has caused widespread protests.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa on Thursday told parliament that this southern African country also plans to get rid of annual bonuses to save money.

The government has failed to pay salaries on time for nearly 300 000 workers since June. Chinamasa said salaries alone eat up 96 percent of the government’s dwindling revenues.

The finance minister also proposed to close some of the country’s embassies abroad and cut vehicle benefits for top government officials.

Zimbabwe has seen sometimes violent protests in the capital and elsewhere over the economy and allegations of government mismanagement under 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe. AP