employment

Airtime vendors pushed out by electronic recharging

By Dumisani Nyoni BULAWAYO  – VENDORS dealing with airtime scratch cards have fallen on hard times in Zimbabwe due to the advent of electronic airtime recharging system as well as cash shortages, RadioVOP has established. In separate interviews with RadioVOP on Thursday, airtime traders said they had been pushed out of business due to the introduction of electronic airtime recharging options and cash shortages. “Selling scratch cards these days it’s no longer a viable business because people can now use their EcoCash, OneMoney or Telecash and other electronic means of recharging their phones. As such, we are out of business,” a vendor who identified herself as Inobubelo Mhlophe, said. Before the advent of electronic airtime recharge system, airtime vending was a viable business with dealers making a killing. “Before this (advent of electronic airtime recharge system), I could push more than 50 scratch cards worth $50 a day and get my commission but now I hardly push 15 a day,” Mhlophe said. Five dollars worth of airtime cost between $4,20 to $4,50 at wholesale price, depending on the type of network. Mduduzi Khumalo, another vendor, said business was very low compared to 5 years ago. “I am a graduate but due to lack of employment opportunities in our country I had found solace in airtime recharge cards selling business but these days it’s difficult. I hardly make a living,” he said. “Some customers, even though they would want to buy airtime scratch cards, they fail due to shortage of cash,” he said. Zimbabwe’s economy is battling a debilitating cash shortage that has been worsened by the introduction of bond notes. The coming in of bond notes has chased the United States dollar from the official system and fuelled the black market. Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association executive director, Michael Mdladla Ndiweni, urged traders to innovate and embrace technology. “The situation is very bad but we would like to encourage airtime traders to move with time and embrace innovation and technology. Doing things manually would not last any longer,” he said. Ndiweni said traders could also adopt hot recharge options among others. Environmental Management Agency in 2016 urged mobile phone operators to phase out airtime scratch cards and adopt electronic airtime recharging options, saying airtime scratch cards were a major source of litter.

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BVTA’ s press statement on the harassment of vendors in Gweru

Bulawayo Vendors Trust stands in solidarity with Vendors and Informal Traders under siege in Gweru, Zimbabwe. We strongly condemn such attacks on vendors and it is unacceptable under Section 24 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. It is heartless, people have no sources of income, where should they go? The economy is struggling. We want to put accross that only 12,8% of the population are in the sector for entrepreneurial purposes the rest are in there for subsistence due to biting economic challenges. We urge the government to immediately halt this brazen attack on economic rights of Gweru citizens. Scenes witnessed today are not good for a country that claims to want to break with the past and culture of violence. We implore civic and church leaders to engage the Minister of State for Midlands province and find an amicable way of solving this issue. Running battles in the streets will leave a trail of destruction of poverty, injuries and worse loss of lives. Contact details: Fourth floor, Suite 406, Fidelity Life Building Fife street and 11th Avenue Email:bulawayovendors@gmail.com Website: www.bvtatrust.org Phone: +263 713 635 908/ +263 88644210108

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