Consumers feeling the heat
SUKOLUHLE NDHLOVU IN GWERU
Consumers in the Midlands Province are feeling the heat from rising prices of basic goods amid stagnant incomes.
The rise in prices, consumers say, has left them on the margins.
“The situation is now very bad and it’s high time the government comes up with a plan because we can not continue to live like this. Prices are going up almost every week and we can barely afford to buy our groceries,” a consumer in Mkoba suburb in Gweru, Desiree Sibanda, told Business Times.
Another consumer from Kwekwe, Bigboy Mutasa, weighed in saying: “Its become very difficult day by day. Every week there are new prices. Standard bread costs around ZWL$700 and for a family of seven it means l need about ZWL$41 000 a month for bread only. Cost of living is literally going up and prices of commodities like soap, petroleum jelly and cereals are also skyrocketing.”
Another consumer, Ethel Ncube said the government should consider dollarising the economy.
“With the rate at which prices keep going up, I think it’s high time the ministry of Finance looks into re-dollarising the economy. The inflation rate keeps increasing. Our salaries cannot even afford us decent lifestyles.”
Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate in May stood at 131.7% from 96.4% the previous month.
