Broke Zimbabwe to cut 25,000 civil service jobs

Zimbabwe's Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa told MPs it was time to tighten belts. This is because the country is not collecting enough in taxes to pay salaries. PHOTO | BBC

Zimbabwe’s finance minister has announced that the government is going to cut 25,000 jobs in the civil service because it cannot afford to foot the bill, the state-run Herald newspaper reports.

Patrick Chinamasa told parliament salaries and allowances would also be cut and there would be no bonuses for two years. Most civil servants receive a bonus at Christmas, known at the “13th cheque”.