Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The government has announced the indefinite extension of the COVID-19 allowance for civil servants and pensioners.
Since June last year, the government has been paying its workers US$75 allowances, and pensioners US$30 to cushion them against economic challenges aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 allowance was supposed to be last paid in December last year.
In a letter addressed to the president of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) Enock Dongo, Health Services Board (HSB) executive director Ruth Kaseke, said:
Please be advised that Treasury has extended the payment of Covid-19 allowance equivalent to US$75 until further review which will be guided by the status of the pandemic and financial affordability.
Public sector health workers are also getting an additional $3 700 risk allowance while teachers are getting an additional 10 per cent risk allowance.
In a related development, the Public Service Commission (PSC) announced that contract workers and aides of the visually impaired will be paid RTGS dollars equivalent to US$75.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima on Tuesday confirmed the extension of the COVID-19 allowance for civil servants until further notice. He said:
We said right at the beginning that as an employer we felt the need to pay our employees such an allowance to cushion them against the hardships brought about by Covid-19.
Such an amount that we have been giving them as an employer has become a very considerable chunk on their salaries and they were benefiting a lot.
That is why the Government has decided to extend this allowance from this month henceforth.
