“We want the bylaws to cooperate with us because we are also humans, we want to live life as well’

There is enough data to imply that livelihoods declined during 2020, as assessed by earnings, personal production capacity, and remittance assistance in Zimbabwe. Price limits and other social safety nets were eliminated as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Unlike in 2008, when stores were almost empty, stores were packed this time, but genuine demand was restrained. The move from the official 1:1 parity between the US dollar (USD) and the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar reduced earnings and savings. Basic commodity prices moved in lockstep with the parallel exchange rate.

Eco-Cash stand outside Marimba Shopping Centre (Harare) - Photo taken by Russell Gwaunza

A family of five needed ZW$6 420.87 (US$77) in March 2020; three months later, the same family needed ZW$11 334 (US$136) to cover their housing necessities. The cost of living for a family or household of five rose to ZW$17 956.87 (US$216) in September 2020.

In other words, during the course of six months, the cost of living in Zimbabwe grew by 279,66 percent. In December 2020, the majority of respondents still earned less than US$200, which equates to ZW$17 000. These results imply that, in comparison to price changes, there has been no major adjustment in earning capacity. While the cost of living for a family of five climbed by 254,27 percent between January and December 2020, wages could not keep pace, and in some cases remained constant.

This means that vendors have no choice but to go into the CBD to sell their goods. This is because the working class that buys goods from them is found there. They are more unlikely to get customers from their neighborhoods or the designated vendor markets which are away from the CBD area where most people move in and out of the city.

Vegetable stands outside Marimba Shopping Centre - Photo taken by Russell Gwaunza

“We want the bylaws to cooperate with us because we are also humans, we want to live life as well,’’ cries Manual, one of the vendors that I interviewed who is finding it very hard to cope with the ban of vendors in town and the impact that it has had on his life.

Below, I interviewed another vendor Ignatius on their experience as male vendors and how they battle to provide for their families. You can listen to the interview below

N.B There is some Shona used in this interview so translations will be found below the link below

Translations

(Click on arrow to reveal what is said at those time stamps in audio)

2:45- Ndanga ndirikuti zvatovenemisayano, COVID 19 yakatiaffecta zvakanyanya nekuti lasy year zvinhu zvaifamba zvakanaka but now zvinhi hazvinyasto famba.-

Translation: I was asying that, there is already a difference, COVID 19 has affected us a lot because last year, things were moving well but now they're not

3:35- Tinenge tichimhanyiswa nePolice, Council Polica vachitito rera zvinhu; ukasungwa woswera ikoko ku Central wobudiswa na 4(pm), sometimes ndotofunga kuti its better kuvapa bribe, kuvapa mari, wodzokera kunoshanda

We will be getting chased by the police, the council police confisticate our goods nd if you get arrested, you will spend the day at the Central police station and only get let out at 4 pm. Sometimes I think its better to bribe them, to give them money to get your goods back so that you can get out and go back to working

4:29- Ndinenge ndisisina time yekumbotandara nemhuri. Nguva yekuti ndenge ndichifamba nevana vacho mutown inenge isipo

I do not have the time to hang out with my family, the time for me to be moving around town with my children is not there

Tinenge tichishandisa mota dzemushikashika kukutikwanise kufamba. Maprivate cars ndoatinoshandisa nekuti havadi kuti mavendors apinde mutown. Tinokwanisa kushandisa maZUPCO asi anenge akawandira nevanhu vanonzi vanofanira kushanda mumasupermarket.

We will be using mushikashikas (unregistered vehicles) so that we are able to travel. The private cars are the ones that we choose to use because they don't want vendors to get into town. We can afford to use the ZUPCO buses but they will be full with people who work in the supermarkets