The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has petitioned Members of Parliament to reject the 2024 National Budget delivered by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube, saying it is “highly anti-poor”, reported NewZimbabwe.com.
Ncube proposed to introduce a 1% tax on all properties with a market value of US$100 000 and above and introduce a levy of US$0.02 per gram of sugar contained in beverages, excluding water, as well as tax the US$300 allowances paid to civil servants.
ZCTU secretary general, Japhet Moyo on Monday petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to reject the proposals made in the budget. He wrote:
We write to your office to express our deep concern over the 2024 National Budget announced by Ncube, which has strong traits of capitalism with tragic consequences for workers and ordinary people.
Hinged on brutal taxation, the budget has failed to rescue the already underpaid workers by pegging the PAYE tax-free threshold to a paltry ZWL$750000-00 from 1 January 2024.
A fair tax-free threshold in US$ was more sensitive and welcome to workers than this pittance which would be eroded to nothing before it even effected.
Moyo said the average minimum wage in Zimbabwe as of October 2023 was about US$230 as opposed to the World Bank international poverty line which is US$2.15 per day.
ZCTU warned that businesses will simply cushion themselves by increasing the prices of goods and services which will likely see the cost of living increasing next year. Added Moyo:
Through you Hon Speaker, we urge parliamentarians to reject the tragic budget that is sending the majority to the gallows and for the government to revise it to humane standards.
It is our hope as a union that your office will seriously look into these issues.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu was quoted as saying recent price increases are attributable to proposals to increase taxes by Mthuli Ncube.
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