Zimbabweans are known to be very hard working people. For example man and women selling vegetables at the market (madzimai emusika). For many a typical day start at probably 3am with a trip maybe to Mbare Musika to get products to sale. Usually most will not get back home until probably 9 or 10 in the evening (I doubt if there is bath before going to bed). However most people do survive on these vegetable market stalls, send their children to school and even pay household bills.
This business can help those who want to supplement their household income mainly for these in areas with a high number of sellers (pa speed), especially in these hard times. However business maybe slow on days but the main idea is to choose the right products to sale. Some families do live on this trade, one can even afford to raise money for lobola, send kids to school up to University and many other things.
Beginning of August 2006 Zimbabwe adjusted it's currency, removing the zeros from the values in order to tackle hyper-inflation. One year later the government has introduced price controls, again in an effort to tame this animal called inflation. This has left most supermarket shelves empty and created a thriving black market. A new zw$200 000 bank note was also introduced to reduce the number of notes people carry around for day to day transactions. But there is nothing to buy in the supermarkets.
It is the majority of the people who will suffer, the ordinary person in the street. The same people who rejoice when the price controls are introduced, same same people the government wants to help. The same people who spent most of the day in queues or running from one supermarket to the other when there is rumour of supplies arriving. In most cases going through a day without eating, and probably some do not even get the chance to have a bath. God help them.
The has been a lot of publicity lately in different media of the plight of the Zimbabwean people. The worsening economic crisis, a far cry from the once thriving economy. Thousands of Zimbabweans are said to cross into South Africa and other neighbouring countries every week, many more are in different countries all over the world not out of choice. The idea is you are better off just getting out of the country. It does not matter where you go even to the Sun if possible.
What next Zimbabwe?
The central bank has introduced a new $200 000.00 bearer cheque. This is meant to help in business transactions where previously one required loads of bank notes which are not worth anything really. The new note is worth less than £1 on the black market and about US$13 on the official market.
With a very high rate of inflation of about 4500%, most Zimbabwean 'millionares' can barely afford to buy groceries to last them a week with their monthly salaries.
Even with the introduction of price controls things are not getting any better. There is nothing in the shops, there is no fuel and there are all signs of a difficult future ahead.
Only in Zimbabwe!!
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