Zimbabwe cash shortages reach alarming levels

Published: 11 August 2017

The cash shortages in Zimbabwe have reached alarming levels to an extent where getting money has become so hard and expensive for the poor nationals.

The rich and the powerful view the issue of an ordinary person getting cash in his pocket as a mere pleasure, ignoring the fact that there are more people in the rural areas who obviously need cash, as many transactions in these places have no swiping machines.

The already struggling citizens spend nights on bank queues almost on daily basis with no guarantee that they will get that cash.

In an interview with one villager from Tsholotsho, the old man who sought to withdraw his little pension said he came arrived in Bulawayo on Monday but has been failing to get him money and no longer have money to go back home. He said he was begging for assistance to go back to his home.

"I have been here for a week now and it appears I am not lucky as my bank has been failing to cater for its clients. They could give a few people money and tell us the money has been finished," he said. "I am now thinking about how should I go back home I have no money."

Other banks clients said even if they have plenty of money in the banks it has proved to be expensive to get it as they are either forced to buy places in the queue from some job less youth who go and queue all the night.

They said if not so one has to struggle to get the money. They said they end up being forced to swipe for goods they do not want at supermarkets so that they get cash back of the maximum of $20 just for their daily transport to work.

While those who receive cash through EcoCash have cried foul that there is nowhere where one can get cash for free.

"It's either you have to pay someone 10% to 15% of the amount you want or you go without money. This situation is now beyond our bearing and resilience, something will explode," said a man who was queuing at a certain bank. "You have to be prepared to lose some money to get something and this is not good at all."

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya recently said he wonders what people want in carrying hard cash as plastic money has been introduced to save them the time of looking for cash.

The struggling citizens said it was a surprise that while there is totally no cash in the banks some illegal foreign currency dealers are on daily bases seen carrying wads of US$100 which can even clear these bank queues and in Bulawayo this happen just in front of the Tredgold courts with no arrests being made on these illegal dealers.

They argued that the suffering of the citizens has been officialised by the government which seems to have legalized the illegal money dealing.

Of recent, the bank queues could disappear soon after month-end after money people have withdrawn their pay, but as from last money, the situation has deteriorated to a point that up to date the queues are still long.

This means that people are still struggling to get their last month salaries and soon they will be getting paid for August the money they will have to ponder on how to withdraw it from the banks.
- bulawayo24.com

Tags: Cash,