The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has called on the government to urgently review civil servants’ salaries following a significant devaluation of the Zimbabwe Gold currency (ZiG) by over 40% against the US dollar.
On September 27, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) revised the ZiG exchange rate from 14.1 to 24.3 ZiG per dollar.
Businessman Kuda Musasiwa condemned the government for paying civil servants based on an outdated ZiG13.5 exchange rate, only to then devalue it to 25, labeling the move as “immoral” and “criminal.”
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart, a veteran opposition figure, criticized the timing of the devaluation, noting that civil servants received their pay just days before the value of their salaries plummeted.
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He remarked that the devaluation undermines the concept of “Zimbabwe Gold” and suggested that in a true democracy, such a policy failure would end a government’s tenure, though he noted that Zimbabwe lacks this political accountability.
The devaluation is expected to erode local consumers’ purchasing power, potentially lowering living standards. In response, ARTUZ stated that public sector salaries should be automatically adjusted to reflect the devaluation of the ZiG without necessitating further demands from workers.
They urged Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and government employers to take immediate action, emphasizing that the stability of the nation relies on the welfare of its workers.
