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Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter—
THE Apex Council has written to the government demanding a meeting before the end of the year to discuss exact dates for the payment of civil servants’ bonuses. The government has assured the civil servants that they will get a 13th cheque this year, bringing relief to anxious civil servants who have been pinning their hopes on President Mugabe’s promise earlier this year.

The government has, however, been reluctant to announce the dates for the payment of the bonuses, which will be staggered. Apex Council president Richard Gundane yesterday said they had written to the government calling for a meeting over the bonus payment dates.

“We want to meet the government before the end of the year and hear from them when exactly the civil servants should expect their bonuses. We appreciate the assurance by the government that its workers will definitely get the money but it’s not enough, we need to know the dates,” said Gundane.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said she was yet to see the letter, adding that the government had not set the dates for the payment of bonuses.

She referred questions to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa, saying he is the one who can set the dates. Minister Chinamasa could not be reached for comment as he was not answering his mobile phone.

Minister Mupfumira, however, said due to revenue constraints that the government is facing, indications are that the bonus payment for civil servants would be staggered, with uniformed forces set to get their 13th cheque at the end of this month.

Last month Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa assured civil servants that they will get their bonuses. Last year the government had promised to pay civil servants bonuses at once but ended up staggering the payment due to cash flow challenges. Some government workers received their 13th cheque as late as January this year instead of the traditional November.

The government is in the process of coming up with strategies to cut the public service wage bill, which chews up the biggest chunk of revenue.