STATE university workers yesterday stormed Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa’s offices demanding their outstanding salaries and bonuses, as government struggles to pay its workers.
Source: Varsity workers storm Chinamasa’s offices – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 16, 2016
by Everson Mushava
An 18-member group, representing all State universities, besieged Chinamasa’s offices at New Government Complex in Harare demanding payment of their 2015 bonuses and outstanding salaries for the past year.
The 9 000-strong university staffers are reportedly owed half salaries for August last year and May and June this year.
The disgruntled workers failed to have audience with Chinamasa, as he was said to be out of the country and were later addressed by an unidentified official from the ministry.
University of Zimbabwe Workers’ Union chairman, Tafirenyika Mapfumo told NewsDay that the group had decided to confront Chinamasa after government failed to honour its promises.
“We have been here since last Wednesday. We wanted to see the minister. We have tried to engage through the Higher Education ministry permanent secretary (Machivenyika Mapuranga), so he can liaise with the Finance ministry permanent secretary (Willard Manungo), but nothing came out. We now want to see the minister himself,” Mapfumo said.
Government was due to pay university staffers their May salaries on June 13 and 2015 bonuses on June 10.
Manungo could not be reached for comment, as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Meanwhile, government pensioners have also not yet received their dues since Tuesday.
COMMENTS
This is no laughing issue at all, given the expiry of various deadlines by Chinamasa, and up to date, a number of parastatals have not received their promised bonus dues. The reaction of varsity workers is justified.
Being also a parastatal employee, I am eagerly waiting for my bonus dues with the proverbial red eyes!!!!