THE Government does not have money to pay civil servants their bonuses yet, but will next week convene a crunch meeting to map the way forward.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira yesterday told The Chronicle that she would meet the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya on January 25 to discuss the way forward on the issue of bonuses.

“The Government doesn’t have money at the moment. This makes it difficult for us to announce dates. We don’t want to make promises that we’ll not be able to fulfill as the Government.

“Minister Chinamasa, myself and hopefully Dr Mangudya will meet on January 25 to map the way forward,” said Minister Mupfumira.

She said she would also meet the Apex Council, the umbrella body that represents all civil servants, to discuss the same issue.

The Minister also confirmed pay dates for January salaries.

The army will be paid today while those in the health sector will be paid on Friday.

Members of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and police will be paid on January 24 while those in the education sector will receive their salaries on January 30.

The rest of the civil servants will be paid on February 3.

Pensioners will be paid their allowances on February 7 while those working at grant aided institutions will be paid on February 10.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday said the Government must ensure that they get all what is due to them.

“Right now we’re implementing a new curriculum which is so taxing in terms of work and planning. The least of things you should worry about is your financial concern,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said civil servants were anxiously waiting to be informed about their bonuses.

“This is what I made reference to at the beginning of the term. The Government must come clean with a plan of paying bonuses to alleviate the issue of anxiety. Our encouragement is that as quickly as possible, the Government should activate the National Joint Negotiation Council. Make it a council that can make decisions not the current status where it is taken as a reference point,” he said. – State Media