2000 civil servants get the chop

the education ministry were handed letters of termination when they turned up for work on Monday, the Apex Council said.
Although civil servants were notified in September that certain departments would be abolished, no date had been announced. On Monday, a union leader expressed concern about the short notice given to workers.
“Our worry is that people were given notices in September that their departments were to be abolished but the letters did not state when exactly when they would leave employment,” said an official with the Apex Council, which represents civil servants. Normally workers laid off are given a month’s notice.
Stephen Mahere, the permanent secretary for the Education ministry, said workers knew well in advance about the impending redundancies.
“I am surprised that there are some workers who feel that they have not been notified of the exercise,” he said.
Multilateral lending agencies have long recommended Zimbabwe reduce its 150 000-strong civil service as part of western-backed economic reforms. – Gift Phiri