GOVERNMENT services ground to a near-halt in Harare on Monday as the strike by state employees continued with the high profile treason trial of senior MDC-T official Roy Bennett being postponed indefinitely after the courts failed to open due to lack of staff.
The civil servants declared a nation-wide strike last Friday after talks with the coalition administration over salary increments collapsed.
The government workers want a 500 percent salary increase but the administration could only offer a marginal raise saying it does not have the resources to meet the US$600 minimum wage demand.
“It is not unwillingness on the part of the government. It is simply the lack of fiscal capacity on our part. Everyone in government knows that what our workers are getting does not meet their daily basic expenses,” Public Service minister, Eliphas Mokonoweshuro said.
The civil servants say they will not return to work unless the government agrees to pay them a minimum US$630 per month but the government could only offer a starting salary of US$134 for the lowest paid grades.
“Even if they ask for US$300 for the least paid, that would bring the salary bill to US$1.3 billion, which is more than the annual budget (of US$1.2 billion) of the government. Their demands are fine but that money is not there yet.
“There are promises though, but only in future. The government remains ready to engage the workers and we call their leaders to come and we look for a mutually agreeable path. It was a premature decision they made (to strike),” Mukonoweshuro said, urging the workers to return to the negotiating table.
But unions representing the workers dismissed claims that the administration does not have the resources to meet their demands.
“If he (Mukonoweshuro) has nothing to say he better shut up. Teachers and other civil servants are hungry. Money is there. Let them sell diamonds and we share that wealth instead of it being enjoyed by few individuals.
“Obert Mpofu (mines Minister) seized 300 000 carats of diamonds from the central bank just last week. Those diamonds must be sold and we get paid,” said Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Raymond Majongwe referring to diamonds mined from the Marange alluvial fields.
Meanwhile as the strike began to bite, the High Court was forced to call-off the trial of Roy Bennett as the presiding judge could not get support staff.
Both the state and defence lawyers turned up for the resumption of the trial but had to leave after a brief meeting with Justice Chinembiri Bhunu.
“The matter has been postponed indefinitely until the strike is over. All matters at the High Court have to be recorded and the clerk of court is not available. We don’t have a date when the trial can resume because of the strike,” Chris Mutangadura who is representing the state said.
Elsewhere across the capital most public schools remained closed particularly in the poorer high density residential areas as teachers failed to turn-up for work with the strike expected to spread to other parts of the country in the course of the week.
Leaders of the striking workers held rallies in the second largest city of Bulawayo with other meetings said to be planned for other major cities such as Gweru and Mutare.
"Bulawayo endorsed the Harare declaration and we are going ahead with the strike up until the Government is able to judge the impact of the industrial action," Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) president Tendai Chikowore is quoted as saying by the state-owned Herald newspaper.
The country’s coalition government offered state employees salaries in foreign currency upon assuming office early last year but promises for even better conditions of service have not been met as tax revenues remain constrained.
Again the much anticipated support from the international community has not matched expected levels as donor countries demand more substantive reforms from the bickering unity administration.