Senator Sithabisiwe Moyo has called on the government to urgently adjust the salaries of civil servants, arguing that aligning them with regional standards is essential to rescuing the deteriorating public sector.
Presenting a motion in the Senate, Moyo appealed for a comprehensive and immediate strategy to address the worsening conditions faced by government employees. She said the current situation is unjust and untenable, noting that many public workers are trapped in poverty while still expected to perform critical duties.
“Our civil servants are suffering,” she said. “Teachers, nurses, clerks — all of them are struggling. A teacher earns roughly 350 a month, which cannot cover basic needs like food or rent.”
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Moyo pressed the government to consider a 50% salary hike and to make it a priority to restore wages to the levels seen before October 2018. At that time, the average civil servant earned about US$540.
This changed after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe issued an Exchange Control Directive separating local RTGS and Bond Note balances from the US dollar. The decision effectively ended the 1:1 exchange rate, causing the value of local currency to plummet. Within days, the parallel market rate soared to between 4 and 6 RTGS per US dollar.
“With the public watching, we must ensure civil servants receive dignified, livable wages,” Moyo argued. “This is not about politics or charity it is about enabling them to do their jobs. A 50% increase would help, and restoring the 2019 US-dollar-equivalent salaries must be treated as a priority.”
She warned that the public service is on the verge of collapse, noting that shortages of schools are forcing children to walk long distances. “We owe it to the next generation,” she said. “Their future depends on the decisions we make today.”
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