HARARE — The Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA), the country’s largest teachers’ union, has raised alarm over the government’s failure to disburse the local currency component of November’s salaries and bonuses for thousands of teachers.
ZIMTA president Akuneni Maphosa described the situation as a “breach of contractual obligations” and criticised the lack of transparency surrounding the omission.
ZimLive understands not all teachers were not paid last week, although thousands still await part of their salaries.
“The ZiG component is a fundamental part of our agreed-upon remuneration package. Its exclusion constitutes a breach of the terms of employment and an erosion of trust between employees and the employer,” Maphosa said in a statement on Tuesday.
Teachers and other civil servants depend on the ZiG component to meet financial obligations, especially as year-end expenses mount, the union said.
According to ZIMTA, the cash-strapped government has not provided an explanation for the missing payments, heightening uncertainty and frustration among teachers.
“The absence of this payment has left many teachers unable to meet their financial obligations, particularly at a time when economic pressures are heightened,” Maphosa added.
The union leader warned that such actions could erode morale and bring back fears of economic instability reminiscent of the hyper-inflationary period of 2007-08.
The union has demanded immediate action, including the disbursement of the full ZiG component of November 2024 salaries and bonuses. They have also demanded a formal explanation from the government and assurances against future lapses. They also want dialogue in the form of good-faith negotiations to prevent further breaches.
ZIMTA warned it would escalate the matter, including possible legal action or collective demonstrations, if the issue is not resolved within five days.
“As dedicated teachers and civil servants, we expect and deserve timely and full payment of all components of our remuneration. We trust the employer will address this complaint promptly to restore confidence,” Maphosa said.
Treasury last week warned that there was a “substantial imbalance” between government receipts and expenditure. As a result, the government is staggering bonus payments for civil servants across two months, in November and December.
The government devalued the ZiG by 43 percent against the United States dollar in September. Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said this was done to “close the widening gap that had begun to emerge between the official exchange rate and the parallel market rate, creating challenges for the retail sector.”
