Zim soldiers face starvation?

By Lebo Nkatazo
Last updated: 05/23/2007 05:33:23
ZIMBABWEAN soldiers could starve if the government does not intervene with a financial rescue plan before the end of June, MPs were told on Tuesday.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Trust Maphosa told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs that they were allocated Zim$32 billion to spend on rations for the whole year, but it has been exhausted.

,,,,For rations, we were allocated $32 billion and so far we have used 92
percent of that," Maphosa said. "What that means is that we have been left with just eight percent to take us for the rest of the year....

Currently the armed forces of Zimbabwe are completely integrated and are composed of an army (ZNA) and an air force (AFZ). The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000. The air force has about 5,000 men assigned.

Thousands of soldiers have quit in recent months over poor pay, with many enlisting as security guards in neighbouring South Africa.