By James Mutasa

Civil servants have been awarded a 100% salary increase but workers say it is still not enough to meet their needs in the wake of hyperinflation. Earlier this month, the government had awarded a 400% pay raise to police and soldiers.

The new salaries which will be paid in local currency result in a soldier who  previously earned 170,000 Zimbabwean dollars, an equivalent of $184 at the official exchange rate and police officers  earned 133,000 Zimbabwean dollars, an equivalent of $144 at the official exchange rate earning more than the majority of civil servants.

Teachers who used to earn about 39,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($84) would now earn double that amount.

In a letter addressed to the Public Service Commission, the Finance Ministry's Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga said COVID-19 allowances have been reviewed upwards from $200 to $250 for all government workers.

“The approved framework for remuneration reviews takes into account the requirement to continuously enhance the general welfare of public employees while attempting to stay within the budget and respecting the general rule of maintaining wage bills at sustainable levels so as not to compete with other expenditures,” said Guvamatanga.

Civil servants have the years been demanding that they be paid USD540-00 per month and other benefits to cushion them from economic hardships. Several wage negotiation meetings between government and representatives of the civil service have have not yielded positive results as the employer has imposed salaries leaving its employees counting their losses.