Gweru, (New Ziana) – Vendors in Gweru have called on government to review upwards its Covid-19 financial assistance to them, saying the $200 they were receiving had been eroded by inflation.

Through an umbrella body, the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), the vendors said the review was urgent as most of them were struggling to survive after their source of livelihoods were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government offered vendors and other vulnerable groups financial support in the form of allowances after they were badly affected by the pandemic.

Speaking during a meeting on how informal traders and residents were coping in the Covid-19 lockdown, VISET executive director Samuel Wadzayi said the aid from government for vendors was now woefully inadequate due to the prevailing high inflation.

He also implored government to consider changing the allowances from Zimbabwe dollars to United States dollars so that it was not eroded by inflation.

Wadzayi said the situation had been worsened by delays in disbursing the funds.

“We are worried that the ZWL $200 promised has been eroded by inflation and we call upon government not to only revise the figure but to also put it to United States dollars,” he said.
New Ziana