ZIMBABWE National Students’ Union (Zinasu) has joined social movement, Tajamuka/Sesijikile and the National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz) in expressing solidarity with civil servants over a strike action beginning on Monday.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Tajamuka/Sesijikile and Navuz on Tuesday said they will join the civil servants strike over their 2016 bonuses and poor working conditions.
Zinasu leader, Alistar Pfunye accused government of turning a blind eye to the concerns of civil servants, choosing to live large by buying expensive vehicles and globe-trotting, while State workers endure a tough lifestyle owing to low pay.
“(President Robert) Mugabe is a liability that Zimbabwe cannot afford. We join the nurses and other civil servants in Zimbabwe in their call for a strike since Tuesday. Solidarity forms the basis of our revolutionary value system,” Pfunye said.
Doctors have been on strike for the past two weeks, while nurses began downing tools on Tuesday.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister, Prisca Mupfumira (pictured) has pleaded with civil servants to abort the strike action to give negotiations a chance, but the Apex union, a representative body of state workers, accuse the government of taking them for a ride.
Government is dangling stands in lieu of cash bonus payments, an offer that the Apex union has turned down.
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Pfunye singled out Mugabe, who celebrated his 93rd birthday in Matopo on Saturday, for the troubles facing civil servants, saying he should step aside.
“Mugabe’s government should not be allowed to walk with this country to the grave. He has played his part by destroying the lives and the hopes of the people of Zimbabwe. Mugabe and his cabal have no conscience at all to listen to the people of Zimbabwe.
“Today students drop out of school due to exorbitant fees and privatisation of the same. This was once echoed in the annual congress of the union a decade ago indicating beyond doubt that the task in our shoulders in mammoth and we need to pursue with utmost vigilance and commitment,” he said.
