BARELY a month after blasting his ministers for “accepting huge bribes” to influence the awarding of government tenders President Robert Mugabe gave his ministers, and their deputies, hefty salary increases of 182% backdated to last month. The ministers allowances have also been hiked by 50%, according to the weekly Financial Gazette. Mugabe, his ministers and his MPs do not pay tax on their salaries and allowances. They are provided with a basket of other perks that include chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz limousines and Jeep Cherokee 4X4 vehicles. Mugabe and his cabinet and MPs gave themselves a 20% increase in October last year. The latest increase means that they will be paid Z$600000 (about R100000) a year.