AUTHORITIES in Zimbabwe have raised the minimum wage for domestic workers to US$90 per month.
The new wages were approved during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, according to the latest post-Cabinet briefing.
“Accordingly, the minimum wage for workers in unclassified operations is henceforth pegged at US$270 payable in local currency. The minimum wage for domestic workers will be US$90,” Information Minister Zhemu Soda said in post cabinet media briefing.
Cabinet said the revised wages take immediate effect following recommendations from the Tripartite Wages and Salaries Advisory Council.
Under the new structure, cooks and housekeepers will earn US$99, while child, disabled and aged minders will receive between US$108 and US$117 depending on qualifications.
The wage review comes as many Zimbabweans continue to battle rising food prices, rentals, transport costs and utility bills in an economy increasingly dominated by United States dollar transactions.
The latest review is likely to reignite debate over whether US$90 is enough to sustain workers in cities such as Harare and Bulawayo, where rentals alone often exceed several hundred dollars per month.
In March, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) said a single person now requires the equivalent of US$50.46 per month to meet basic needs under the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL), while a family of six requires about US$302 monthly.
