BY SILAS NKALA
THE Local Government ministry has allowed Mangwe Rural District Council in Matabeleland South to charge some of its services including selling of impounded livestock in foreign currency much to the chagrin of locals swimming in deep poverty.
They said the government must admit that the local currency has failed and move on to dollarise.
A notice dated March 28, 2022 addressed to villagers and stakeholders by the Mangwe RDC said only forex will be accepted for the sale of stray livestock to be conducted on April 5 and 6.
“Notice is hereby given that (Mangwe) RDC shall in terms of the stock trespass Act auction stray livestock if unclaimed at the following places, Monen farm, Cay Khuphe homestead, stand number 11, Stekfotein farm, Plot number 195 Izimnyama small scale, Mkhayeni Business centre, Ntenjaneni Police Base, Ngwanyana Dip tank, Mapholisa Dip tank, Maninji Dip tank and Cross Road,” reads the RDC notice in part.
“Payment (must be done) in foreign currency only, (that is, Rands and US dollar).”
The council advised that all correspondence on the sale should be directed to the chief executive officer Bongani Ngwenya.
The development has sparked outrage from the locals, the majority of whom are not employed.
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Those employed are mostly civil servants earning in local currency which has been falling in value.
Local farmer Norman Mpofu said the government must accept that the Zimbabwe dollar is on its deathbed.
“Mangwe RDC is a law abiding institution. It cannot go to this extent in rejecting the local currency without being authorised by the government. In the fuel sector we are always told that fuel is an imported commodity that is why they are authorised not to accept the local currency. Are stray cattle also imported,” Mpofu said.
“Someone is making big money out of people’s misfortunes. Zimbabweans, this is illegal but unfortunately there is nothing one can do about it as long as the government is violating the law.”
Another villager who chose not to be named said the sale of stray livestock in forex means that “the poor civil servants cannot partake in the process of disposal of these stray cattle as they earn local currency. This is economic discrimination by government.”
Repeated efforts to obtain a comment from the Mangwe Mangwe RDC CEO were not successful as his numbers were not reachable.
