BY NYASHA DUBE-Police and the army have been on rampage lately in Zvishavane, raiding vendors operating from home during this COVID-19 induced lockdown, leaving most, especially women, stranded as they have no other means of survival.
The lockdown which was imposed in April so as to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus, came with the suspension of most economic activities. Whilst some have resumed, informal traders remain prohibited.
This also comes at a time a large population of the country is employed in the informal sector.
The informal traders who include vegetable vendors, bale vendors among others had resorted to selling their products from home as this is the sole source of income. However, luck has run out on their side as they now have a cat and mouse relationship with the uniformed forces, as has always been before the lockdown.
This has mostly affected women who had found a means of survival during this tough time.
Some of the women shared their grievances with us:
Mai B
“I’m a vegetable vendor. We only go to the market three days a week, which is not enough for me to sustain my family. My stock is also perishable and I risk running a huge loss if I don’t sell some from home. Now that police raids have started I don’t know what will become of me and my family.”
Vimbai
I sell imported clothes. I acquired the stock I have now before lockdown then flee markets were closed. Since then I haven’t made any sales. Recently I thought of selling my stuff from home but now I can’t anymore. I can’t risk being arrested. I’m behind on my rentals, food has become so expensive. Honestly I’m failing to cope.”
Gogo Tavengwa
“I sell various goods like eggs, sweets, drinks, cigarettes and vegetables. That’s the only way I can survive. It had become better as I had started selling from home but now I don’t know the way forward. My source of income has been blocked, and my children can no longer afford to send me money from abroad because of lockdown.”
Operating from home may not tally with the COVID-19 guidelines set by the World Health Organisation, but a Zimbabwean is always caught between a rock and a hard place. They have to choose between risking their health or succumbing to hunger. With the continuous inflation and skyrocketing of prices, most households are failing to make ends meet, and this takes a toll mostly on women, who are family care givers.