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Herald Reporter
Government has directed the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to follow proper procedures in terminating contracts for over 3 000 youth officers after the court ruled that it had failed to comply with the law in severing ties with them.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Government had agreed to reinstate the officers pending fulfilment of a court order after lawyers representing the youths challenged their dismissal, arguing that procedure had not been followed.

Minister Chinamasa said this while responding to questions from journalists during a Press conference in Harare.

“With respect to youth officers, as you aware, they took the matter to court and the court ruled that the procedures were not followed,” he said.

“So, we directed the Civil Service Commission to follow the procedures and to see that the decision we took (as Cabinet) is implemented.

“I think the commission will follow the right procedures which they may not have taken.”

Government took a decision to terminate contracts for the youth officers as it sought to effect a raft of cost-cutting measures to ensure a leaner workforce.

In his 2018 budget announced last year, Minister Chinamasa said that the youth officers would be relieved of their duties and this would see the Government saving about $19,3 million annually. Government said there was need to rationalise staff to avoid duplication of some duties.

Minister Chinamasa announced that all civil servants who were above 65 years would be retired as President Mnangagwa’s administration sought to rationalise and streamline civil service and save costs. He said the bulk of the national budget was going towards salaries rather than infrastructure development, a situation he said was not sustainable.

Government has also frozen recruitment, except for critical staff, in its effort to attain economic turnaround.

Some multilateral agencies had also recommended that Government streamline its workforce to reduce its wage bill.