Queues Could Render Lockdown Pointless
Zimbabwe’s lockdown measures may prove meaningless as citizens spend most of their time crowding in “queues” for basic foodstuffs at supermarkets and cash at banks.
Following the reopening of several banks in Bulawayo on Tuesday, Bulawayo residents said it was “better” to spend the whole day in bank queues as they will be able to buy goods at lower prices using cash than using swipe in Western suburbs.
Winding queues were witnessed at NMB, First Capital Bank, NBS, EcoBank and at CBZ as well as at Western Union and MoneyGram queue at EcoBank at the corner of Fife Street and 9th Avenue where the police and army were called in to restore order.
A resident of Magwegwe North suburb, who identified himself as Thembani Ndlovu, said he welcomes the reopening of banks. He said:
It’s better to just spend the whole day in the queue knowing that at the end of the day I will buy five items with cash than swiping for only three items at the shops.
In Western areas, they charge you $120 for 2kg sugar when swiping but $80 if you are buying in cash.
That is why we will just stand in the queue. We are happy that the banks have since opened. We have been suffering.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended the lockdown on Sunday by two weeks to May 3 as COVID-19 cases are increasing.
Zimbabwe has to date reported 28 COVID-19 cases, with four deaths and two recoveries.
