The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Farawo and Debra Matabvu
Zimbabweans have accepted the bond coins that were released by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last Thursday although there are still some people who are still sceptical about using the coins. The coins were introduced to reduce the shortage of small change and establishing the real value of goods and services.
While most Zimbabweans applauded the Government for introduction of the coins, a snap survey by The Sunday Mail revealed that some small retail outlets and public transport operators were not accepting the coins.
Cashiers at Chicken Inn outlet at Old Fantasy land opposite Joina City were refusing to accept the coins without giving reasons while some commuter omnibus crews refused to accept the coins fearing that some passengers could bring the one cent denomination which would give them hustles to count. Other kombi drivers were not sure if service stations would accept the coins when buying fuel. However, a visit to Total and Sakunda service stations in the Central Business District showed that the attendants were accepting the coins. A supervisor at one of the OK Supermarket branches who refused to be named said: “The bond coins have been accepted by the public. So far there have been isolated cases of customers refusing the coins but generally the acceptance is pleasing.
“For those who do not want the coins we are giving them the rand coins while some are opting for small items such as sweets.”
However, reports from Chitungwiza show that some customers were now refusing to accept rands which they said could lose value preferring the coins which have the same value as the US currency.
In some instances, some supermarkets at Makoni Shopping Centre ran out of the bond coins amid reports that their banks, mainly the foreign banks operating in the country were sceptical about the use of the coins. However, the situation had improved by yesterday.
Government through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) last week introduced the bond coins in denominations of one, five, 10 and 25 cents to alleviate change shortages.
