The Government has confirmed that civil servants will receive a salary adjustment in the first quarter of 2026, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube told Parliament during debates on the 2026 National Budget.
Professor Ncube said Treasury will cater for the pay rise as part of its ongoing efforts to improve remuneration for public sector workers. The announcement comes as Government finalises payments of staggered Special Presidential bonuses of US$150 for members of the Public Service, pensioners and traditional leaders, which are expected to be completed by the end of December 2025.
The minister cautioned lawmakers against interpreting the Government’s Contingency Reserve, known as the Unallocated Reserves, as a large pool of funds, noting that it will be rapidly consumed by pending obligations including the planned pay adjustment. “It is going to eat away quite a lot of that Unallocated Reserve, it will not go far,” Professor Ncube said.
During the budget debate, legislators had called on Treasury to increase funding for various services and programmes, including social services and education support. The minister said the civil servant pay rise will be based on the results of a job evaluation exercise and forms part of broader compensation reforms being considered ahead of next year.
The Government’s position reflects ongoing efforts to balance fiscal constraints with improving public sector welfare, amid broader discussions on wage bill management and public expenditure priorities in the 2026 budget cycle.
