PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE !
- 3/2/2009 <--Prev : Next-->
PEOPLE, PEOPLE of Zimbabwe, what are we doing to ourselves? We have gone from the
cheapest place in the World to live, to now easily the most expensive place in the World to
live, and we have only ourselves to blame. We seem to think that because we have all held
out so long here in Zimbabwe, against all odds, that now Zimbabwe and everyone who is
left owes us a favour.
The whole country except maybe some poor unfortunate workers who are getting ripped
off by their employers, is now operating in foreign currency in one form or another. Since
we are now dealing in foreign currency we need to throw away our mindset that we pick
up our calculators and start hitting the 0's to calculate what we are now going to pass on
to the next person.
In the rest of the world, investors are lucky to get 10% a year on their money, possibly a
good business that can rotate its product every month, might achieve close to 100%.
Here everyone who hears that someone , knows someone, that might need something,
adds their 30 or 40% to the commodity before it gets to the person who is finally stupid
enough to buy it, and this disease is spreading.
We are even beginning to hurt ourselves across the borders, because some businesses
there are realizing just how stupid us Zimbabweans are at parting with our money, and are
increasing their prices there as well. By the time it hits our streets its more than 3 times
the value of what it actually costs in SA.. You will also notice, the smallest denomination
we use is R10 or USD1, there is a lot of change in between if you put a value to it, in SA ,
you could get 2 loaves of bread for R10. Silver doesn't exist.
Most people in the country who are trading in one form or another are literally doubling
their foreign currency every week or turnaround, that puts their profits into the 1000% in
less than a year, its not a wonder that people and businesses outside the country are
looking at sending money and commodities on credit to their friends and families still here
to sell. They can invest their money much better that way.
I know that I am painting everyone with the same brush here, there are exceptions, but
they are few are far between, and to them I apologize, but we need to all pull together to
stop this rot.
Its time that Import Parity and competition stepped in, be realistic, it is real money we are
now dealing with no longer the useless paper that we have had in the past. The value does
not change overnight like it used to, as with our Zim dollar which could triple overnight, it
is the same real money that our friends and neighbours have been using next door for
years, and it hardly moves.
Another thing while I am about it, guys stop being so quick to flick between US and Rand.
When you are charging for labour you are inclined to charge in US, because it gives the
impression that it is 10 times less than Rand. I personally had a 7 minute mechanical job
done for me the other day, and it cost USD 50, hey that is R500. This is more than a Brain
Surgeon charges for a 15 minute consultation, and the job was done by a spanner boy.
Yes, I'm guilty I was part of the rot, but the job had been done, and I was stupid enough
not to get a quote before hand, so I paid.
What about bribing to get things done, I know its a schlep, and we all do it, but lets all try
not to wherever possible. You may be interested to know that it works, I took a personal
stand the other day, when I was caught talking on a cell phone whilst driving. I had to go
to court, because I refused to pay a bribe.
2 weeks later I appeared in court, where once again I was given the option by the Court
Officials and the Policemen to pay R300 and my problem would disappear, I can tell you
that by then because of the time wasting, I was ready to, but I did not. After about 3 hrs, I
stood before the magistrate and was given a Z$ 20 fine ( worth about R,0001 ) at the time,
or an option to do 10 days in Jail. I naturally opted for the fine, but felt like asking if the
food was free for the 10 days because it might have been an option!
Someone in the Fines office did benefit because the smallest note that was in circulation
at the time was about $1000, and I did not wait for my change.
Guys it can be done, Its not the Government or the Fat Cats we can blame here anymore,
its ourselves, we are making our own Fat Cats, lets all try to stop this rot, if someone is
ripping it, tell them, and if its you, stop it, even if we have to embarrass each other in
public, lets do so, so that we can get back to some sort of normality and at least get value
for our hard earned foreign currency.
The most adaptable people in the world us Zimbabweans have managed to survive against
all sorts of odds, to get to this stage, and everyone out there is cheering us on and ready
to support us, as has been evident with the fantastic support of our old folk, in these dying
moments, lets not lose sight of the bigger picture, by stabbing ourselves in the back.
Graham Jardine
