SOME Harare commuter omnibus operators are now demanding transport fares in US dollars in what could be seen as open defiance against an unpopular government decision to dump the multi-currency system in place of the local dollar.<\/p>\n
The private operators now charge US$1 for a one-way trip from Chitungwiza to Harare with commuters from Harare CBD now asked to fork out US$0.50 for a single trip to the city\u2019s high density suburbs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are buying fuel in US dollars so it is only logical that we charge in the same currency,\u201d said one tout only identified as Sam.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy kombi plies the Warren Park 1 to town route which is not really strict on US dollar payments but my colleagues plying the Chitungwiza route are already demanding US$1 per person or equivalent for them to buy foreign currency on the black market at the end of their working day.<\/p>\n
\u201cFares to Warren Park 1 and back have been rising everyday hence we have opted to encourage our passengers to pay US$1 per pair.\u201d<\/p>\n
The US dollar charges are similar to those charged during the US dollar period.<\/p>\n
Government reintroduced subsidised transport through public transporter Zupco whose charges are way less than those charged by private operators.<\/p>\n
However, the few buses plying the routes often find themselves too overwhelmed, leaving commuters with no other choice than to depend on private transport.<\/p>\n
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube scrapped the multi-currency system in an unpopular policy shift last year.<\/p>\n
The move came at the expense of the national economy which had struck relative stability since the introduction of the US dollar, the South African rand and a basket of other major currencies that are easy to use among locals.<\/p>\n
The chickens have since come home to roost as the Zim-dollar keeps eroding in terms of value, leaving businesses with no option but to go against government\u2019s directive to charge goods and services in local currency.<\/p>\n
Added Sam: \u201cPeople have the US dollar, we cannot continue to pretend there is no US dollar anymore when we all know goods and services are being charged in that currency.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernment knows the US dollar is there, that is the reason it has allowed fuel and other companies to sell in foreign currency.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am sure even Ncube and John Mangudya (RBZ governor) know the local currency is worthless on the streets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should simply allow all of us to use it instead of forcing us to use their paper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Private taxi operators have for long been demanding transport fares in US dollars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SOME Harare commuter omnibus operators are now demanding transport fares in US dollars in what could be seen as open defiance against an unpopular government decision to dump the multi-currency system in place of the local dollar. The private operators now charge US$1 for a one-way trip from Chitungwiza to Harare with commuters from Harare […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":20473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[91,251],"class_list":{"0":"post-20471","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-economy","9":"tag-harare","10":"tag-us-dollar"},"yoast_head":"\n