By Shyleen Mtandwa | Government on Monday gave in to the demands by civil servants to have their bonuses paid in cash.

Government had said that it was going to pay it’s workers ‘ last year’s bonuses in the form of residential stands. However, on Monday government held a closed door meeting with the leadership of the civil servants after the latter had threatened to stage more crippling protests.

A highly placed source who was part of the Monday meeting confirmed the breakthrough to ZimEye.com.

“The government has agreed to pay 2016 bonuses as follows with health and defence sectors getting paid in April 2017. Teachers would be paid in June 2017 while the rest of the civil servants will be paid in August 2017,”said the source.

“Unions have however collectively refused the structure of payment which prefers to pay security forces first yet they are the ones being paid first and are not part of negotiations.

“Instead unions have resolved to shift security forces to August 2017 and pay instead rest of civil servants and health workers in April 2017 and education in June 2017.
Unions have also are pushing that payments start March 2017 on a running roll until May 2017 for all workers,” he said.