Two Nations Correspondent

Gwanda – Facing difficulties in procuring components that require foreign currency including fuel, chemicals and drugs, Gwanda Town Council has resolved to charge some services in foreign currency.

Gwanda Mayor Njabulo Siziba confirmed the development and said health, ambulance and fire services and land sales will henceforth be paid in foreign currency.

Residents will pay US$3 to access council clinics, ambulance will cost US$5 per call and an additional one litre of fuel for every 5km travelled. Fire tenders will cost US$100 per call and an additional US$20 pumping fee per hour.

Political parties will pay US$300 per day to use the council stadium and US$200 security deposit.

He said that operations have become paralyzed in areas where foreign currency is required and hence the resolution.

“We are failing to cope with the challenges. Although Government says we should receive local currency from ratepayers, it (the Government) is no longer supplying us with RTGS fuel to run our operations.

“We understand the difficult times including that civil servants are earning RTGS but these are the same civil servants you find at Chicken Inn buying food with forex,” said the Mayor.

Gwanda Residents Association member, Wellington Nare said the partial dollarization by the local authority is an indication that the economy is increasingly failing

“If you see Government institutions starting to charge in foreign currency only then it means our RTGS has become worthless, what remains is for Government to admit that the RTGS is valueless and resort to using foreign currency,” said Nare. https://masvingomirror.com