An organisation that represents consumers has raised concern on Zimbabwean businesses stating that the service providers have profused ignorance and cruelty.
Voice of Consumers Zimbabwe (VOCZ) president Panashe Makufa says consumers expected prices to go down since the exchange rate dropped after the government’s introduction of the foreign currency use.
“Unfortunately, the service providers are taking advantage of the lockdown to overprice consumers,” Makufa said.
“It’s sad to note that, this is the situation nationwide from Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Telecommunication Companies, Gas Refueling Companies among others.”
Makufa says consumers are also grossly affected by the police as supermarkets are overpricing and the markets being shutdown with cheap affordable horticultural products being confiscated by the security sector.
The government gave the security sector a mandate to monitor the streets enforcing the lockdown.
“VOCZ is also worried because consumers who cannot afford the exorbitant prices being charged are left to die,” Makufa said.
“Considering that majority of the Zimbabwean population survives on hand to mouth (informal sector), the situation in Zimbabwe is going to be worse than imagined if the government does not intervene in making sure there are measures to protect consumers.”
VOCZ reiterates that overpricing is a consumer right violation quoting the Consumer Protection Act which states that “Every consumer has a right to receive goods or services that are safe and free from defects and hazards and that are of fair value.”
“Our members across the nation will continue updating us and if push comes to shove we will be approaching the courts to ensure government does its mandate because this is a matter of life and death,” Makufa says.
