By Lerato Ndlovu
Chinhoyi Residents
Association applauds move by local Municipality to accept and implement SI 185 of 2020 with immediate effect.
The Zimbabwean Government gazette statutory instrument 185 of 2020 which compels that, sellers of various goods and services are to display, quote and offer prices in both Zimbabwean dollars and foreign currency at the ruling exchange rate.
Chinhoyi Residents Association chairperson, Clifford Hlupeko said this decision would help improve service delivery hence, there should be a clear system that separate local currency and forex payments to avoid enriching corrupt individuals within the council boards.
“The move is a very delicate one and should be able to make our council offer proper delivery service to all its customers,” he said. “What we are very much concerned about is the system that will be used to handle these payments, we do not want scenarios that will lead us into having financial abuse issues at the town house.
“There should be means of clarifying what currency was used by the client, water tight systems should be in existence to protect hard currency payments as some would replace the money with local currencies,” said Hlupeko.
The Chinhoyi Municipality came up with the decision to embrace the SI during a special council meeting so as to aid them with certain necessities that can make their service delivery attainable.
Council spokesperson, Mr Tichaona Mlauzi said the council will be quoting rates in Zimbabwean dollar as the base currency but also display other currencies used in Zimbabwe for the same services that it offers.
“In all our transactions we will be quoting the Zim-dollar rate plus any other forex rate that’s common to our clients, and stakeholders can pay using the currency which they are comfortable with.
“What this entails is that all the services provided by Municipality of Chinhoyi will be quoted both in Zimbabwe dollar and also in foreign currency at the ruling auction rate which is normally done every Tuesday,”said Mlauzi.
