Some tenants in Zimbabwe have proposed that the government issue an order directing property owners to suspend rentals for some time.
Tenants argue that the majority of people shall be without income for a sustained period of time owing to measures which the country implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
One anonymous tenant who spoke to Pindula News said:
Hello Admin, due to the prevailing situation we are out of work and as you know about 90% of our population is unemployed. I was suggesting that the government may take an extra measure to say during this certain period no one is going to demand rentals from tenants. Really soon a lot of people will be kicked out and die because of hunger. Thank you.
The government recently announced a raft of measures including the closure of borders, bracket ban on public gatherings including churches, bars, gyms and others to reduce the spread and transmission of the novel coronavirus.
The measures have unintended consequences including unemployment as companies suspend services or de-congest to uphold the government’s directive.
This worsens an already existing economic and humanitarian crisis in the country characterised by inflation, shortage of mealie-meal and other ills.