Posted on 05/26/2003 3:33:32 AM PDT by Clive
FANCY going shopping or to the bank this week? Forget about the wallet and grab that plastic shopping bag!
Many Zimbabweans have now resorted to packing hundreds of thousands of notes into plastic bags or satchels just to do the month's groceries or pay their bills.
In fact, it is said thieves in Harare no longer pick pockets preferring to smash and grab bags and satchels from cars or plying open car boots where shoppers now stash the thousands of 'Zimkwachas' needed for day-to-day living. Hapless street wallet vendors say they are being driven out of business because many people now move around with bags instead of wallets.
The shortage of the larger denomination $500 dollar notes had worsened the situation because banks were giving out $50 and $100 dollar notes which became too bulky for the small pocket wallets.
"One needs a bag not a wallet for that kind of money," said Wonder Kajola, a vendor in the city who specialises in selling wallets.
Another vendor, Peter Chabande, said: "We are now heading towards the Zambian situation if not worse where one has to carry a bag of money to collect one's monthly salary."
A snap survey around Harare's bars revealed that revellers were already carrying bags of cash to buy drinks.
Others stash "bricks" of bank notes and occasionally dash to car parks to grab wards of cash, pay off the round of drinks and still say: "cheers!"
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